He asked whether the new law, which empowers Comunidades to reclaim land not used for its intended purpose, could apply to the remaining two sanads pending in the South Goa Collectorate. He noted that the applicant had not even collected the e-challan for payment of fees.
“Land was given under afframento cannot be utilised for other purpose. The purpose was not to develop it into plots. The land given by Goa’s first Chief Minister late BhausahebBandodkar was meant to create employment and promote industrialisation. Instead, the BJP government is now enabling its conversion into settlement zones, blatantly violating the original purpose and spirit of the law. I want assurance from the government that it will not give sanads,” Sardesai said.
Revenue Minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate responded that the new legislation applies prospectively and does not impact the Zuari land, which has already been sold. He placed the responsibility on the Comunidade concerned for failing to protect the land.
“We took opinion from two senior advocates. I will place the opinion on the floor of the House. Former Advocate General Zilman Coelho opined that you (government) cannot take the land back. You can acquire the land. But we cannot acquire it because land belongs to the Comunidade, who failed to protect it,” Monserrate said.
Calling the deal the largest land grab in post-liberation Goa, Sardesai alleged the scam was worth Rs 50,000 crore — enough, he claimed, to wipe out the State’s Rs 33,956 crore debt. He demanded that the government revoke all illegal permissions and issue a clear assurance that no more sanads would be granted.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, meanwhile, distanced his government from the controversy. “The legislation was enacted only to stop change of zone other than for what it was allotted for,” he said, denying any involvement of the current administration in the matter.