VALPOI
While the successful public agitation against the IIT succeeded in getting the State government to move the project out of Melauli-Sattari, it has now galvanised people into a larger social movement for securing land rights in the taluka.
If Melauli had been the epicentre of the agitation against the IIT project, Valpoi town has now become the centre for their movement to pressurise the government to grant them rights to the lands that they have been cultivating for generations.
Earlier this week, a large number of residents from Melauli, Mauxi, Keri, Thane, Karanzol-Kumthol and other villages staged a peaceful protest rally from the Hathwada junction to the old municipal building.
They held placards and chanted slogans against the government for failing to resolve various land issues in Sattari for several decades.
Shubham Shivolkar, one of the leaders in the Melauli agitation, said their protest against the State government was in connection with several land issues, including Alvara, Mokaso and vast areas included under forest reserve and wildlife sanctuary.
Social activist Ranjit Rane lauded the unity of the people in the movement and warned the government not to take the people of Sattari for granted.
“The people of Sattari have displayed fierce opposition to the government and this movement is just the beginning. The government should be very careful before enforcing forest laws here as people are the sole owners of their land.”
“If the government can write off such huge property to the IIT overnight, it should also similarly give the people of Sattari their land ownership rights immediately and include their names in forms I & IV,” said Rane.
Rajesh Gaonkar demanded a fresh demarcation within 15 days in the presence of the Forest Rights Committee (FRC) to ensure that lands cultivated by villagers are excluded from the forest or wildlife sanctuary.
Batu Gawde from Kumtol, Valpoi Congress Block President Dasharath Mandrekar, Advocate Ganpat Gaonkar, Advocate Shivaji Desai and Revolutionary Goans convener Manoj Parab also addressed the gathering.
