Team Herald
PANJIM: Villagers and members of the Comunidade of Jua, St Estevam came out in large numbers to oppose the ‘illegal acquisition’ and development of comunidade land (Tollem Xeth) into a playground.
Speaking to the gathering, Fr Visitacao Monteiro, president of Comunidade of Jua, said Tollem Xeth is demarcated on the cadastral plan as a water body, a low-lying area, and a catchment area for the rain water gutters of Jua. “It now faces grave danger of being filled with mud as it is being developed to become a playground and in turn turning the area into an ecological disaster,” he said.
He spoke about how the land was fraudulently encroached by a gaunkar, and later the successors sold it to the government without proper property documents only on basis of a Form I & XIV.
He maintained that the land is comunidade property and cannot be sold in this manner.
Jua resident Advocate Chiara Gomes, who lives close to Tollem Xeth, paid tribute to Fr Bismarque Dias, who had started the movement about the Tollem Xeth and raised concerns of flooding of the surrounding areas in case Tollem Xeth was filled with mud.
Gomes said the ground is free for all villagers, youth and school children to play without any permission for community activity, beat shows, annual day and sports days. However, if a playground is developed it will be under the control of the government and no one will have access to the ground in future except “The Government Village School” as indicated on an RTI filed by the villagers.
“The village of St Estevam also has a half developed ground near Casa da Povo and the Tollem Xeth cannot be developed as it is within 500 metres of the existing village ground,” she stated.
Artimizia Rangel said villagers found out that the ground was fraudulently acquired, when the headmistress of a school objected to the villagers using it for community activity.
Three senior citizens living around the area Bernadette Lobo, Fatima Saldanha, and Milagres Dias recounted how in the past the ground was used by everyone and raised their concerns about its filling.
The peaceful demonstration was organized by the youth of Jua.
