The Opposition members put the government on the mat in the Assembly session over what it termed as a Rs 50,000 crore land scam at Zuari Agro Chemicals. While there was a demand that sanads and sale deeds be withheld, there was a categoric plea to stop the sale of plots till the matter is resolved. Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's defiance in acting has only exposed their intent in pursuing this issue.
The reluctance of the government to put a blanket freeze on the land in question is baffling, especially since there is an allegation of a scam and the very land use has been challenged. Questions have been raised over the 500 hectares of land leased to Zuari Agro Chemicals by the Sancoale Comunidade that has now been sold as settlement. Surprisingly, the industrial land has been converted into settlement and used for housing and sale deeds have been executed.
The chief minister on Friday took barbs at the Opposition over disclosing the names of those who bought plots at Zuari, giving a broad indication that there are big sharks involved in deals. The question at this point is, however, more to do with changing the nature of land from industrial to residential. The government has to first explain how this happened, even as it awaits the option of the Advocate General.
If we may recall, a social activist had written to the PMO on October 17, 2020, apprising the central government of the ‘land scam’ and seeking intervention. Subsequently, it was a month later, the PMO asked the chief secretary to look into the matter and a detailed report was sought from the mamlatdar in January 2021.
Given the seriousness of the issue, why did the government take so long to seek legal opinion? At a time when the government has shown a tearing hurry in tackling land illegalities through a Special Investigative Team, and a TCP team probing land conversion in ODPs on priority, why is this land ‘conversion’ that is relatively on a much larger scale, not being investigated on priority? It’s been two years since the PMO has asked the CS for an inquiry, but till now there has been no headway, and the government is still at a stage of opinion seeking. Interestingly, it is awaiting the advice of advocate general Devidas Pangam who has been representing Zuari Agro Chemicals as their legal counsel before assuming the office of AG.
The chief minister’s assurance on the floor of the House, finally, to freeze the sale of plots in the area in question may be welcome, but the hesitancy in action is suspicious. It’s time Monserrate stops playing around the bush and comes clear with answers. Strangely, a government that is relentlessly targeting land grabbers and others for illegal conversion is choosing to go slow on this one. Certainly, there is more than what meets the eye.
