Opposition lays into govt over ZACL’s alleged Rs 50,000-crore land scam

Team Herald

PORVORIM: The House on Friday witnessed an uproar over the alleged illegal ‘systematic’ sell-off of nearly 50 lakh sqm of land by the Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited (ZACL),that had purchased the property way back in 1971 from the Sancoale Comunidade, for industrial purposes. 

Bowing to pressure from the opposition, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant declared that he would keep the sale deeds and sanads pertaining to the said land on hold until legal opinion is received. As the opposition termed it a major land scam pegged at Rs 50,000 crore, the Chief Minister also said that if required, the matter would be handed over to the Special Investigating Team (SIT) dealing with illegal land grab cases. Sawant said that the legal opinion on the sale deed between the Sancoale Comunidade and ZACL is under the scrutiny of the Law department as well as the Advocate General, whose detailed opinions are expected within a month’s time. 

Sawant added that as per the Comunidade Code, the land is transferable. “In 1989, ZACL had sold part of its land to the Goa Housing Board,” he recalled. 

Congress MLA Michael Lobo and GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai led a scathing attack on the government over their failure to act in the alleged illegal sale of land by ZACL to M/s Paradeep. They pointed out that ZACL had broken up the entire swathe of  land into small plots,which are being sold individually. They also said that a mega residential project with 1,800 flats is also proposed on the said property. 

“How can an industrial plot be transferred? Does the Comunidade Code have a provision for this?” Lobo questioned. He also brought to the notice of the House that the Prime Minister’s Office in 2020 had taken cognizance of a complaint filed on the alleged land scam by ZACL, and sought a report from the Chief Secretary. “It’s been two years now and the government is dragging its feet over submission of reply to the PMO. This itself shows that there is something wrong,” Lobo said. He was backed by Sardesai who  pointed out that since the Assembly elections in March till date, a total 35 sale deeds have been executed. 

In response, Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate said that the district collector has already been directed not to issue any sanads as far as the land is concerned.