Orville Dourado Rodrigues, a founding member of Goencho Ekvott, has raised alarming concerns regarding ongoing illegal land development by the South Western Railway (SWR) and its contractor, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), in Goa's coastal villages, including Velsao, Pale, Issorcim, Sancoale, Cansaulim, and Arossim. According to Rodrigues, these projects are being carried out without the necessary title documents and violate the land rights of the local residents. The group of locals have specially come to the Assembly so as to meet the leader of opposition, Yuri Alemão.
The main issues raised include:
1. Blocking Heritage Routes: The dumping of mud in the Right of Way (ROW), which is legally owned by the locals, has obstructed access to over 400-year-old heritage residences and essential services like emergency vehicles, healthcare, and essential supplies.
2. Environmental Hazards: Stormwater drains, crucial for flood prevention, have been destroyed by construction debris. This may lead to flooding and the collapse of nearby heritage homes in the upcoming monsoon season.
3. Illegal Tree Cutting: Thousands of trees, including fruit-bearing and forest trees, have been cut down without the necessary permissions, violating environmental laws.
4. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Violations: The ongoing construction has led to severe CRZ violations, with several documented complaints to relevant authorities.
5. Land Rights Violations: In areas like Issorcim, hill cutting and mud dumping have permanently destroyed mineral water springs and forest cover. Despite land acquisition being incomplete, construction is continuing without proper surveys or compensation for the landowners.
Rodrigues claims that the local authorities, including the Goa Police, are complicit in the illegal activities, as SWR and RVNL continue their work despite a stop-work order from the local panchayat. He insists that the construction violates the Goa Land Revenue Code of 1969, which mandates proper land surveys and demarcations before any development work can begin.
The Goencho Ekvott members demand that the government intervene and protect the land rights of the locals, halt the illegal construction, and ensure that the necessary legal procedures are followed to preserve the heritage and environment of Goa's coastal villages.
‘The Railways have moved to consider themselves as a ‘Rule unto themselves’. They feel that they are not meant to abide by the rules and policies of the state’, says Orville. The Leader of opposition has given us assurance that he will solve our matter’, says panch member Rudika Antão, Velsao