VASCO: The farmers from Vasco on Wednesday opposed the reclassification of Maimolem agricultural land as Wetland.
A delegation of farmers led by former Mormugao chairperson and present councillor Leo Rodrigues and managing committee members of Comunidade met South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes and sought his support on the issue.
The move of the State Wetland Authority to declare Wetland has evoked strong opposition from the local farmers, who fear that it will affect the traditional farming community, who were cultivating the land for generations.
The farmers and others feared that if the Maimolem agricultural land was declared as Wetland then it would impose severe restrictions on construction activities in the surrounding areas, including Alto Mangor Hill and other areas of Vasco. It would also cause a significant impact on the value of their land and properties.
Amidst this growing tension, South Goa MP Capt Viriato Fernandes has stepped in to support the farmers’ cause. Expressing his firm stance against the State government’s actions, he warned that this issue would not be taken lightly.
Assuring the panicked farmers, Capt Fernandes said that Vasco MLA Krishna ‘Daji’ Salkar was wrong in using his influence to declare the entire area as a wetland. He said, though the Prime Minister wants to revive farmlands, his party MLA was trying to fool the farmers in Vasco by working against the initiatives of the Union government. Instead of reviving the farmlands, the local MLA wants to start boating in the area, which according to him was illogical.
“There are private properties, farmlands, Comunidade lands and tenants which are the main stakeholders. Besides that there is also a buffer zone having houses of the people which need to be protected. We will not allow the government to encroach on farmlands and other properties in the name of Wetland,” Capt Fernandes said.
“We are not opposing the Wetland, but MLA Salkar should take all the farmers into confidence and think about reviving the farmlands, which is a legacy that had been left by our forefathers and cannot be destroyed,” he said.
