Team Herald
MARGAO: Curtorim Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has, in a letter to the chief minister, expressed grave concern over Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) claims over water and land adjacent to the port jurisdiction and while pointing out that he has raised this issue several times in the assembly and outside it, it has still not been resolved.
He alleged that MPT’s claim of ownership over River Zuari and the foreshore area is the main cause of the proposed yacht marina at Nauxim Bay and following people’s protest, a public hearing is now scheduled on November 2.
He pointed out that on January 30, he along with other MLAs of different parties had, during a calling attention motion, urged the then revenue minister Rohan Khaunte in the matter as one lakh square metres of River Zuari and foreshore land at Nauxim and Sancoale was supposed to be leased out to set up marinas.
He recalled that the minister had promised to take necessary action in the matter after it was pointed out that the Goa Land Revenue Code makes it absolutely necessary for the State government to safeguard its ownership rights over river areas.
Reginaldo argued that the claim of being owner of the land would at the most be an administrative exercise to be a mere regulator or facilitator of marine traffic or maritime activities, but definitely to bestow proprietary rights on MPT over that land and further pointed out that unless this is clarified, in future, the fishing jetties at Vasco would also be at stake as MPT may claim that they belong to them.
He also pointed out that vide a letter dated 1st February 2019 he had furnished Rohan Khaunte a copy of lease agreement dated 12th October 2010 between MPT and M/s Kargwal Construction wherein 1 lakh square metres of land belonging to government of Goa was leased and asked the minister to act to declare the lease a nullity in the eyes of law.
While asserting that a marina at Nauxim bay would destroy the environment as NIO has established that it is a breeding ground for “window pane oysters” besides affecting the livelihoods of fishermen Reginaldo demanded that the public hearing scheduled for November 2, be cancelled forthwith.
