MAPUSA
Tensions flared in the village of Assagao as locals and Comunidade officials jointly condemned the fencing of a large stretch of Comunidade-owned land, believed to be a dense forest area, allegedly in an attempt to usurp the property.
During a recent site inspection conducted by the Assagao village panchayat in coordination with the Assagao Comunidade, a sizeable group of concerned residents gathered to protest the fencing activity.
The issue came to light after vigilant locals informed the Comunidade about unauthorised activity on the land.
Attorney of the Assagao Comunidade, Nelson Fernandes, promptly wrote to the village panchayat, accusing the party of illegally fencing the Comunidade property.
“Soon after receiving the complaint, I issued a stop-work order against the party and called for a joint inspection of the site,” said Hanumant Naik, Sarpanch of Assagao.
Naik confirmed that during the site visit, fencing poles were found erected around the disputed area.
“We will be discussing the matter at our upcoming fortnightly panchayat meeting on April 19. A show-cause notice will be issued to the party involved. If the explanation is not satisfactory, we will proceed with ordering the removal of the fencing,” he added.
The Assagao Comunidade attorney alleged that the party had fraudulently entered his name into Form I & XIV, documents that reflect land ownership, and claimed that the Comunidade has already challenged the entry in the appropriate legal forum.
“This is a blatant attempt to grab Comunidade land,” Fernandes said.
“The Assagao Comunidade is an apolitical body, and we are simply trying to safeguard what belongs to the people of this village. We welcome support from anyone committed to protecting our land and environment,” he added.
He warned that if such attempts succeed, nearly 2 lakh square metres of land, much of it classified as private forest, could be lost to development or other non-forest use.
“The consequences would be devastating. The loss of this green cover will permanently damage the ecological balance and natural beauty of Assagao,” he said.
The Comunidade managing committee has vowed to fight the encroachment legally and through community support, reaffirming its commitment to protect and preserve the village’s remaining forested lands.
