CANACONA
The Loliem-Polem Comunidade’s resolution to hand over 10 lakh sq. mtrs of land on Bhagwati plateau on a 99-year lease to the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) to set up a Film City has come under scrutiny, as a section of Lord Keshav Devasthan Mahajans of the village temple have applied for membership of the Loliem-Polem Comunidade.
The move is being seen as an attempt to reverse the Comunidade’s decision to allow non-traditional development works on the eco-sensitive Bhagwati plateau, which has been opposed in two such gram sabhas of the village.
According to a villager and Mahajan of Shri Keshav Temple, Manoj Prabhugaonkar, there are over 450 Mahajans of Lord Keshav Devasthan who have the right and are eligible to be members/components of the Loliem-Polem Comunidade.
“Presently, there are just around 128 registered components on the Loliem-Polem Comunidade roll and with a few members no longer living, only around 105 villagers make up for the components list of the body, which is supposed to protect the common land for posterity,” said Prabhugaonkar.
“As the Lord Keshav Temple Mahajans are eligible to be members of Loliem-Polem Comunidade, over 300 Mahajans have decided to apply for membership of Loliem-Polem Comunidade.”
The move has been seen as an attempt to counter, neutralise, and reverse the Loliem-Polem Comunidade NOC to give 10 lakh sq. mtrs of land on the eco-sensitive Bhagwati plateau for a 99-year lease period to the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) to set up a ‘Film City’ in the State.
Prabhugaonkar claimed that barring a handful, a majority of components of Comunidade of Loliem-Polem do not subscribe to the environmental concerns raised by villagers for the sake of the village and for posterity.
“Comunidade land is common land and its rich biodiversity should be preserved for our future generations. The present majority view of the Comunidade components needs to be countered and changed. It is, therefore, required to have more and more people who can and are willing to be broad-minded while keeping the sentiments expressed by people at large.”
When contacted, Loliem-Polem Comunidade President Vishwanath Warik informed that Lord Keshav Devasthan and the Comunidade are two different entities.
“There is the Comunidade code, which defines the membership of the Comunidade. Being a Mahajan of Keshav temple is not the criteria to apply for membership of Comunidade body, but it is governed by the Comunidade code,” said Warik.
“Anyway, the month of May is the time to apply for new membership of Comunidade. Applications received, if any, will be processed in accordance with the Comunidade Code.”
Sources informed that Comunidades have two types of Components (membership), ‘Shareholders’ and ‘Zonkars’. The Loliem-Polem Comunidade has the Zonkar type of membership, which aspiring new members can apply with documentary proof in May.
Incidentally, residents had earlier resolved in gram sabhas on two occasions to not allow any type of development works other than traditional usage of the rich biodiversity Bhagwati plateau.
