MARGAO: The proposal to return nearly three lakh square metres of agriculture land in Navelim to farmers is in its final stages and pending Cabinet approval. Around 200 farmers were agitating over their loss of land, which was forcibly acquired by the government for various projects nearly a decade ago.
The government had acquired nearly 28,400 sq mts of fertile fields opposite a Konkan Railway Station to construct a transportation hub for a bus terminus for South Goa, which was eventually dropped. It was also proposed that the land be utilized to rehabilitate shop owners affected by the widening of the Rawanfond-Quepem road.
Nearly 2.72 lakh sq mts of fields were acquired near the sewerage treatment plant near Salpem Lake, displacing around 150 farmers. The acquisition was marked with widespread and sustained protests by farmers.
Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado said the formalities for returning the fields to the farmers were completed and the file needed Cabinet approval. He said, “There was a demand from the farmers that their fields should be returned to them. Keeping with my assurance, I took forward the process to return the same.”
Navelchea Xetkarancho Ekvott (NXE) member Claudius Dias stated that they had been battling for a long time to save their land and said it would be a great day for nearly 40 families that were cultivating paddy fields every year. He hoped that that decision would come soon.
“We were cultivating two crops per year in the fields, which were acquired by the PWD for expansion of STP and provision of buffer zone despite there being sufficient land already available for the same”, said Leandro Sequeira, of the Salpem Tollem Xetkarancho Ekvott.
The previous government’s intention was to prove that the whole area of 2,72 lakh sq mts is not cultivated by showing some little portion of field that was not cultivated for genuine reasons,” said Leandro Sequeira, who is at the forefront of the Salpem Tollem Xetkarancho Ekvott.
After procuring documents under the Right To Information Act, the 150-odd affected farmers from Sirvodem, Nagmodem, Sinquetim, Tollem, Colmorod, Ratwaddo and Sarvodem had taken offense at the then deputy collectors (5 A) report, which stated that agricultural land, to be acquired, should be barren and not cultivated.
“The land is cultivated by poor farmers of Aquem-Baixo. The previous government acquired poor Niz Goans’ land using deceit and slyness to gift to illegally squatting migrants. The farmers fought a long and sustained battle with the previous government. There are builder lobbies probably backed by some ex-ministers – and definitely with inside support from BJP – trying desperately to block this return,” said NXE member Joseph Vaz.
