MARGAO: Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has written to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to nullify the lease signed by Mormugao Port Trust wherein the MPT has leased 1 lakh sq mts to a private company for the purpose of setting up a marina.
“It is absolutely necessary for the Government to safeguard the State’s ownership and possession rights over the said river areas as expressly declared under Section 14 (1) of Goa Land Revenue Code. Significantly, you had given an assurance on the floor of the august House that the Government will examine the matter in legal point of view and take suitable action”, said Lourenco.
He reminded the Chief Minister that in course of his reply, he had also assured to take Luizinho Faleiro and him into confidence on the matter, and that Revenue Department would “play its role” and articulate its views on the issue at the upcoming public hearing for the Nauxi marina project.
He said that decision to get Mormugao Port Trust ’s illegal lease to private players cancelled would protect the interest of not only our traditional fishermen, who for the past many centuries, have been using river to eke out their living, but would also ensure free and unrestricted mobility of Goemkars on the river banks.
In his letter, he challenged Mormugao Port Trust ’s claim over Zuari water.
“It appears that Mormugao Port Trust is assuming or claiming to be the “owner” of the water and land area.”
“A port administration exercising jurisdiction over port limits would be a mere regulator or facilitator of marine traffic or maritime activities therein. But that by itself would not vest the port with proprietary rights over the area within its jurisdiction. The resolution of this issue not only impacts Nauxi and Sancoale, but all areas within Mormugao Port Trust ’s jurisdiction where it is claiming ownership”, he added.
