Team Herald
PANJIM: Gauncars of Tivim and local villagers on Wednesday filed a complaint against the committee and Escrivao (clerk) of the Tivim Comunidade for leasing land for 99 years within its jurisdiction without taking permission.
The complainants alleged that when the land was leased, neither the Gauncars nor villagers were taken into confidence.
They claimed that the Comunidade of Tivim had officially signed a 99-year lease with Maharashtra Academy of Engineering & Educational Research (MAEER), Pune, a Public Charitable Trust, to establish an educational institution in the village.
The Gauncars have demanded that FIR be filed against Minguel Catenao Sequeira, President, James D’Souza, Attorney, Joselan Pereira, Treasurer and Pranav Parsekar, Escrivao of Tivim Comunidade for alleged fraudulent grant of two lakh square metres of Tivim Comunidade land to MAEER.
They have demanded that an FIR be registered under Sections 420, 468 and 474 read with Section 34 IPC with common intention for cheating, forgery, knowingly using forged document as true and misleading the government in obtaining approval for grant of land without auction.
Speaking to reporters, Mollie D'Silva, a villager, expressed hope that the land would be reverted to the Comunidade.
Recently, the villagers and activists held a protest, opposing the proposed World Peace University on Tivim Cansa hill.
They expressed concern that local students might not benefit from the proposed University while international students could have negative influence, which could lead to anti-social activities. They had alleged that government is amending rules for the benefit of outsiders. They said they are not against the proposed World Peace University, but the Comunidade should have taken the Gauncars into confidence before taking any decision.
Soon after getting a hint that the government is planning to allot the land for the project, the likeminded Goans and social activists started awareness campaigns in Tivim to garner support against the project.
According to the villagers, an agreement was finalised on July 1, with MAEER for two lakh sqm. They questioned why a private University required so much land when a plot of 20,000-30000 sqm was enough. They recalled that the previous Comunidade committee had issued NOC for only 10,000 sqm of land for an educational hub.
They had also flayed the Comunidade for sending defamation notices after the villagers protested against the University.