Team Herald
VASCO: Goencho Avaaz (GA) on Thursday demanded that the Mormugao Deputy Collector immediately stop the land acquisition process being undertaken by his office for the Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Vasco Railway doubling project failing which it threatened to knock the doors of judiciary.
In a press statement, GA co-convenor Capt Viriato Fernandes said “As per a letter obtained through RTI-Government of India/Ministry of Railways letter W271/CN/BNC/Kulem-Madgaon dated Feb 16,2018 regarding land acquisition for the Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Vasco railway project, the land acquisition process being undertaken by his office for the Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Vasco Railway Doubling Project is illegal and improper for the specific reasons such as the land acquisition process to be undertaken under the Railway Act warrants that the whole project has to be declared as a Special Railway Project and not a small section covering few patches of land.”
“Further, the acquisition of land under the Railway Act will require joint measurements to be conducted involving railway representative, State revenue authorities as well as the land owners. Since any of these land owners are not readily traceable, such JMC cannot be conducted” the press statement states.
The statement further stated that acquiring different stretches of land in the same project by two separate organisations under different Acts would lead to discrepancies in assessment of land compensation which would give rise to disputes.
Secondly, it clearly stated that if the acquisition is not possible due to objections/other reasons, the same may be undertaken under “The Goa Compensation to the Project and Vesting of Land in the Government Bill, 2017.”
Hence, it is abundantly clear that the land acquisition proceeding being undertaken under the Railways Act, 1989 is clearly illegal, unsustainable and liable to be challenged if the land acquisition officer persists in proceeding with the hearings for this illegality, which in the circumstances have become absolutely redundant, and unnecessary stress for the people concerned. Now, that the Collector has been made aware of the illegalities, Goencho Avaaz earnestly appeals to him not to be an accessory in contravening the processes, and to kindly cancel the acquisition process underway for the above project. A first step towards this rectification of the illegality would be to cancel the personal hearings scheduled for Thursday that is on February 25, 2021 at the Collector’s office, failing to which, Goencho Avaaz will be compelled to seek necessary legal action against the concerned persons/organisation for violation of the rules and regulations of the government of India / Ministry of Railways, GA warned.
Watch the full video on: https://heraldgoa.in/Videos/Goencho-Avaz-demands-cancellation-of-personal-hearing-for-land-acquisition/171495
