SANGUEM
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday assured locals of Uguem to provide them with the land held and enjoyed by them in the village which was earlier owned by the Sociedade Patriotica Dos Baldios Das Novas Conquistas Uguem, but was recently reverted to the State government.
He also promised to take locals into confidence before setting up projects.
He was speaking to the residents at the Uguem panchayat hall, as part of his tour of Sanguem constituency.
Speaking further, Sawant appealed to the villagers to submit documentary evidence and other papers in support of their claims to the Sanguem Deputy Collector’s office, for further consideration by the government.
Sawant, however, warned the villagers that any portion of government land which has been encroached upon and cultivated by villagers, ever since the government took over vast land in the village, will not be given to the villagers under any circumstances.
He advised the villagers not to encroach in new areas on land claimed by the government.
The chief minister requested the villagers not to further contact the Sociedade authorities for any NOCs as the land now vests with the government.
He also advised the villagers not to pay any money to the Sociedade towards the purchase of land, but said the villagers must submit details of the amount paid to the Sociedade at the time of purchase of land from it.
Sawant also made it clear that he would take locals into confidence if the government intends to set up any development project on government land at Uguem.
During the meeting, the villagers presented a memorandum to the chief minister highlighting the various problems they have envisaged since the government took over the Sociedade land.
The villagers appealed to Sawant to provide them with title documents of the land held by them since the time of their ancestors and which were purchased by them from the Sociedade in their capacity as tenants or mundkars.
Others present at the meeting included Uguem Sarpanch Uday Narba Dessai, Ex-MLA Subhash Phaldessai, Zilla Panchayat Member Suresh Kepekar, panchayat member Marcus Pereira, Maya Zangale, Sanjay Parwar and others.
Incidentally, the matter pertaining to the arbitrary transfer of land in the name of the Government of Goa without any notice to the erstwhile owner Sociedade Patriotica Dos Baldios Das Novas Conquistas Uguem is in the High Court.
The writ petition filed by the Sociedade is scheduled to come for hearing on August 24. During the first hearing earlier this month, the HC had issued a status quo order in the matter.
