TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: With the pen down strike by the comunidade employees nearing one month, attorneys of the comunidades have knocked on the doors of the District Collector, South to direct the escrivaos and clerks of the comunidades to hand over the keys of the comunidades offices and cupboard to the presidents for their smooth functioning.
In a representation made to the District Collector Dr Sachin Shinde, Attorney of the Comunidades of Verna, Margao and special attorney for Aquem, Celestino A Norohna said the records of the comunidades and keys of the office, cupboards, etc, are in the custody of the escrivaos, who have been abstaining from their duties for the last three weeks.
Celestino recalled that the South Goa comunidades managing committee had on February 13, submitted a representation to Shinde seeking his intervention in directing the escrivaes/clerks to hand over the keys of the comunidades office to the respective presidents, but lamented that nothing has been done towards this end.
Citing an instance how the situation has created inconvenience to the attorneys due to non availability of records, Celestino said he had rushed to Verna following information that illegal extraction/mining of rubble stones was underway in comunidades property on February 25, but hastened to add that he was handicapped due to absence of documents such as plans and record of rights of the comunidades lands that were demanded by the police before registering the FIR.
Incidentally, Celestino said that it’s a sheer coincidence that he has noticed a spurt in illegal costructions/encroachment on comunidades lands exactly around the time when the clerks/escrivaos have abstained from their duties.
