MPT criticised over attempt to regularise reclaimed land

Vasco: An overstepping of authority and jurisdiction by the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has just come to light after they applied for regularisation of a large 60 hectares reclaimed land which was originally the Zuari riverbed. The MPT has gone ahead and leased out this land to private parties without any title to the property. Shockingly, sources suggest 50% of this very land is now under the South West Port and is occupied and leased by the MPT to Coal handling operations. 

The act of the MPT has come to light after the Chief Engineer of the Port went on to apply for a survey number to be allotted to the reclaimed land. The application was made to the Deputy Collector of Mormugao who then wrote to the Captain of Ports for his opinion. The plunder of land by the MPT got further exposed after the furious Captain of Ports vehemently objected to the above application. The audacity of the MPT authorities peaked after they contested this claiming the Captain of Ports doesn't have an authority to speak on behalf of the Government of Goa and rubbished the letter of the CoP. 

Here it is to be noted that according to the Land and Revenue Code, the Government of Goa is the owner of the rivers, riverbeds, sea and seabed in their state jurisdiction areas. The fact that there is an application for survey number for the land vindicates that the said land didn't exist earlier and has been reclaimed from the Zuari river. Due to this title issues the Captain of Ports has asked for the Government of Goa to be made a party in the entire matter. 

Surprisingly, sources suggest that 50% of the land is now being used for Coal handling by the concessionaires which makes it clear that this is not MPT but Government land. It may be recalled that the Congress Legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco had in a LAQ addressed to the Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte inquired regarding this very land. There wouldn't have been any reply to this question as the land never existed on the records of Director of Survey and Land Records. It is when the MPT applied for a survey number it was confirmed that this was a reclaimed land and belongs to the Government according to the Land & Revenue Code. 

Herald met the Deputy Collector to Mormugao Mahadev Araundekar and inquired regarding the same. When asked the Deputy Collector confirmed that his office is in receipt of one such application from the MPT for allotment of survey number. "The survey and land records office is doing its process on this application. We have received the application for allotment of survey number and since the matter is subjuidice my office cannot reveal any more details" said Deputy Collector. 

It is also been suggested by sources in South Goa Collector Office the District Magistrate has ordered a survey of the said land. The MPT has reportedly relied upon the Port Limits Notification of the center for the allotment of survey number to this land. However, experts in the field of land records and legal experts said the relying of MPT on Port Limits regulations only gives the brief of management control and administration of maritime affairs and doesn't confer ownership rights until and unless the land belongs to the Port. 

Curtorim Alexio Reginaldo Lourence had in the LAQ filed in the latest assembly session vehemently objected the reclamation and the subsequent attempt of the port to get title of the land. The Deputy Collector of Mormugao when asked regarding the present status of the said application case he told that the Survey and Land Records is presently asked to survey the said land. It is also learnt that the District Collector of South Goa has initiated the survey after they were posed with this question in Assembly. Now the Congress MLA Aleixo said "The land has been reclaimed and has no survey number. The MPT has gone ahead for asking for survey number and title when under the statute it is under state list and not survey number" said Reginaldo. 

"The Collectors order to survey is wrong and if it has been prompted by my question in Assembly then it is vehemently wrong and I will drag the District Collectors office to court if that is the case. When there is no title to land and above all if this is already a Government land what survey is this?" asked Reginaldo.

The District Collector of South Goa however after several attempts couldn't be reached for comments over this issue.