Asmita Polji
This place has seen a lot of collision on the course. So to say! There are 3,000 voters in Keri Tiracol. And of these, 80 per cent are tenants, who have been affected by the 9th Tenancy Act. The 2017 legislative elections will be a crucial one for all the tenants as well as for the BJP government said Francis Rodriguez President of St. Anthony Tenants & Mundkar Association Tiracol.
SATMA formed in 2010, is registered under Societies Registration Act 1860. SATMA was formed following the sale of land by the government to Leading Hotels for the project golf course & 200 villas without the knowledge of the Tenants & Mundkar of Tiracol.
From 2010, the tenants & Mundkars from Tiracol are running from pillar to post for their right & to save their land but for the last six years, neither the BJP or the previous regime of Congress paid attention to their grievances.
After a long battle and several twists and turns, currently, the status of the golf project is in a limbo following the High court’s December 2016 hearing. Work at the site has been stopped and NGT has also given four months notice period to avail fresh NOCs.
According to sources, the project, including a golf course and 200 villas costing Rs 1500 crore, will destroy the forest cover, natural springs and traditional fishing activity FOREVER! Along with this, The Tiracol Keri bridge which as per the government will connect the villages has intension of supporting the same golf project. Government has allegedly wasted Rs 78.9 crore of the tax payers’ in this bridge.
Tiracol spans over an area of 12.5 lakh sqmt.
Local Talkar said the current government & the previous one supported the builder lobby. The government had the power to stop the project by not selling agricultural and tenanted land. The government has done injustice to the tenants. This was perhaps the first issue which jolted the people of Goa & showed them how the government “functioned”.
The tenants will unleash their ballot power in this election which is expected to make an impact. “We are not supporting a specific party, but whoever we vote, we will make sure that the person supports our decision and saves our land by revoking the Tenancy Act,” said a person on condition of anonymity.
All the tenants of Keri Tiracol pollution are is against this government, who are affected due to the golf course & amendment in tenancy act
