SANGUEM: The long-standing demand for granting Class I status to the Selaulim evacuees is set to be addressed soon, according to Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai. He made this announcement during the inaugural lighting of the Selaulim Dam with tricolours on the eve of Independence Day.
Phaldessai informed the gathering that the process of recording the evacuees’ names in the occupant’s column of the survey records is in its final stages. This assurance comes after previous commitments, including one by former Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate in August 2020, who had promised to complete the work within two months, and another by Water Resources Department Minister Subhash Shirodkar last August, who pledged to resolve all pending issues within a year.
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As the deadline set by Minister Shirodkar ended on August 14, Phaldessai reiterated the commitment, stating that the issue will be resolved soon after consultation with Shirodkar. The delay in granting Class I status has been a source of frustration for the evacuees, who were originally from Curdi village and were relocated to Wadem and Valkini in 1975. The government had granted them 10,000 square metres of land for agriculture and an additional 400 square metres for housing, but they were only recognised as Class II occupants.
Despite being eligible for Class I status, the evacuees have faced bureaucratic delays spanning several decades. In the past, assurances were given, including a promise by Monserrate to complete the process within 40 days, which raised hopes among the evacuees. However, despite efforts, including camps organised by then Deputy Collector Ajay Gaude, who worked overtime to collect necessary documents, the issue remained unresolved.
Phaldessai’s promise has rekindled hopes among the evacuees, especially the 327 families still awaiting the inclusion of their names in the survey records. He also warned against potential agitators seeking to disrupt the resolution process, emphasising that the Water Resources Department is diligently working to complete the paperwork in the coming days.
