Team Herald
MARGAO: The locals of Velsao-Pale-Issorcim and NGO Goencho Ekvott issued a strong rebuttal to the statements made by the Mormugao Deputy Collector, who on Monday claimed that the double-tracking work was being carried out on land owned by the South Western Railway (SWR).
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“It was shocking to learn from media reports that the Dy Collector, who is also the designated ‘competent authority’ for land acquisitions for the SWR’s ‘special double-tracking project’ through Goa, made reference to the impromptu meeting he held with a few villagers at Pale, who according to him had no title documents to stake their claim for the areas alleged to have been encroached by SWR/RVNL,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues, founder of GE.
GE added that the villagers were not asked in advance to produce their land title documents and that the Sarpanch and villagers were not notified about the impromptu meeting either.
“Furthermore, Section 104 & 105 of The Goa, Daman and Diu Land Revenue Code, 1968, states that recorded Maps and Record of Rights are ‘presumed’ to be true until the contrary is proven, or a new entry is lawfully substituted thereof,” he added.
GE explained that SWR has instituted mutation proceedings and included their name in Revenue Records (Forms I and XIV) for properties where they have title documents, but that the mutation proceedings have not been initiated for land along the railway line as SWR has not been able to produce ownership documents to the authorities for the same. GE also produced copies of such documents: Survey No 1, Sub Div No 0, Cansaulim, Name of the field: Flede de Para and Survey No 104, Sub Div No 0, Cansaulim (for both Mutation No. is 172).
“However, the villagers along both sides of the existing railway track have legal title documents in the form of ‘Inscription and Description’ records and ‘Matriz’ records to establish that the land up to the existing railway line is owned by them,” Rodrigues added, calling on the SWR to furnish their ownership titles before encroaching any further into private land.
GE appealed to the Dy Collector to take cognisance of the fact that most of the landowners are senior citizens and that some of them do not live in Goa.
GE also lamented that the SWR encroachments have destroyed the storm water drains and the riverine ecosystem of the villages.
