MARGAO
Trinamool Congress leader Jorson Fernandes has said the State government led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has scored a perfect double, first by strengthening the team probing illegal land grabbing in the case of about 60-70 properties in Goa and the second, a bit dubious, as his ministers have grandiose plans to smartly amend the Code of Comunidade to legally acquire the land belonging to Goans for public projects, even as the Gaunkars have raised strong objections to the move.
"The proposed amendments, barring the proposal for allowing women to be eligible to become zonkars, could eventually lead to the abolition or even death of the word comunidade which is a Portuguese term or appellation or Gaunkari (gaun - village and kari -association) which is a Konkani term for private village having absolute land ownership rights or absolute dominium and functioning independently as a self-governing institution. Consequently, Goans, who were declared owners of their community lands through the Legislative Diploma No 2070 of 15th April 1961 which was solemnly promulgated as the law of Goa's lands, will be rendered powerless and eventually perhaps landless," rued Dr Jorson.
He said proposed amendments reportedly seek to alter six articles of the Comunidade Code besides inserting a new article which enables the grant of land for public projects.
“This reminded one of the draconian Major Ports Bill's Section 25 which could give Mormugao Port Authority (among others) complete sway over Goan land and their port limits. It states "subject to the rules made under this Act, the Board of each Major Port shall be entitled to create a specific master plan in respect of any development or infrastructure established or proposed to be established within the port limits and the land appurtenant thereto and such master plan shall be independent of any local or State government regulations of any authority whatsoever,” he said.
Saying that land has become a highly precious commodity which is not within the reach of an above-average Goan, he said Goa is the richest State in terms of per capita income, sufficient to make Goa the most favourable destination for the purchase of real estate assets which will further benefit the developers to acquire land in Goa.
“What Goa has witnessed of late is that the developers in collaboration with the politicians have seized environmental, agricultural, protected land along the coast, inland and hills with the result that the local Goans no longer can even dream of owning a decent-sized home. As it is, the real estate agents from Mumbai and Delhi have already made big inroads into the Goan economy which has seen residents from metros making Goa their second home,” he added.
