MARGAO
The Master Plan 2041 for Margao has mooted a new economic node and a district on the south of the Margao railway station “ an innovation hub housing a range of programmes such as retail, art and culture, entertainment, incubation hub, innovation labs, hospitality and multipurpose spaces in the land designated for commercial and public use is proposed just south of the railway station.
On the ground, however, the story seemed totally different. Just pay a visit to the area where land admeasuring 28,000 square metres, acquired by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) around two decades ago, and one is greeted by lush green vegetables.
Having harvested a moderate paddy yield in the last season, farmers have gone for a second crop this year, growing vegetables, including much-sought after 'tambdi bajji', lady fingers, besides chilly plants on the sprawling fields.
Beleaguered farmers, who had waged a sustained struggle to foil attempts to displace them from cultivating the fields of their ancestors, however, have no idea what the Master plan 2041 is all about and what lies in store for them in the future.
Farmers have been left to wonder whether the fields playing host to agriculture are proposed to be converted into a concrete jungle to play host to a new economic hub and district in the area.
Says progressive farmer Claudius Dias: “We have no clue whether our fields along with the fields in the vicinity are proposed to be converted into a commercial and residential hub. We only hope better sense prevails and the fields opposite the Margao railway station are retained as a green zone for posterity”.
He had a question too for the government. “When Chief Minister Pramod Sawant harps on Atmanirbar Bharat and Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik insists on reviving fallow land under cultivation, we fail to understand why the government wants to concretize the only patch of agricultural land opposite the Margao railway station”, he questioned.
GSUDA had forcibly acquired the fields admeasuring 28,000 square around two decades ago to set up a transportation centre in the south of Margao. Farmers, however, have not stopped cultivating the fields since then.
In fact, they had hit the streets, backed by residents of neighbouring Navelim and Aquem-Baixio, from time to time, whenever attempts were made to stop them from cultivating the acquired fields. “We will find out from the authorities what exactly is the Master Plan vis-Ã -vis our fields and why the government is rushing to convert the area into a concrete jungle”, Claudius remarked.
The proposals mooted in the Master Plan have come at a time when the farmers have been hoping against hope that the government will revert the change in zone of the fields from commercial to green.
For, the beleaguered farmers have already lodged their objection with the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) to revert the GSUDA acquired fields opposite the railway station back to the green zone in the ODP.
