MARGAO
Beleaguered representatives of the Tenant Associations of Loutolim are up in arms as the government has set its sights on 20 per cent of the income accruing from the lease of fishing rights of the sluice gates and the lease of trees.
The associations are concerned that the leaseholders and local fishermen will face hardships because the notification mandates them to deposit 20 per cent of the amount with the government before the signing of the agreement.
Given the situation, the tenant associations have pointed out that the signing of the lease agreements for the fishing rights of the sluice gates has been kept on hold until 20 per cent of the entire auction amount is deposited in the treasury.
Days after submitting a representation to the Revenue Minister to reconsider the government amendment on the payment of 20 per cent of the auction amount to the treasury, a delegation from the Tenant Associations of Loutolim called on Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, seeking his intervention in the matter.
After giving a patient hearing, the Minister assured the delegation that he would convey their grievances to the government for redress.
All six tenant associations from Loutolim”Sucofond Condalem Tenant Association, Derbat Tamxell Tenant Association, Vattais Tenant Association, Carbot Cantor Mascasana & Bebdo Tenant Association, Noczana Tenant Association, and Sonfator Tenant Association”have strongly objected to the amendment to Rule 8 of the Agricultural Tenancy Act, which mandates the sluice gate leaseholder to pay the full auction amount before signing the agreement.
Says Alberto Pinheiro, chairman of the Carbot Cantor Mascasana & Bebdo Tenant Association: “If this notification is implemented, then the local fishermen will face hardships because the notification says that the entire auction amount must be paid before signing the agreement and that 20 per cent of this amount must be deposited with the government prior to signing the agreement. It may be noted that mostly the bidders are local village fishermen or from the neighbouring village,” he said.
He added: “The sluice gate must be manned 24/7 because cultivation depends on the water level being maintained through the sluice gate. One mistake in water intake and the entire crop will be destroyed. The fish and the crop are our village's wealth, which the fishermen and farmers share.”
Stating that the leaseholders of the fishing rights of the sluice gate are local fishermen with no other source of income, Alberto said the local fishermen would not be in a position to pay the entire auction amount before signing the lease agreement.
The tenant associations, in their representations, have requested that the former rule, which allowed payment via four instalments, be maintained.
“Due to escalated labour charges, it is becoming difficult to maintain the bunds with the available amount earned through the auction of the fishing rights of the sluice gate. If 20 per cent of the auction amount is deposited in the Government Treasury, then the Tenant Associations will be put in a difficult situation with respect to the maintenance of the bunds as well as the upkeep of the sluice gate,” Alberto said.
He added: “Every three years, the khazan is kept dry. During this time, the auction amount of the sluice gate is negligible, and the maintenance is done from the amount saved from the previous two wet auctions. The wooden doors of the sluice gate are changed every two years, as due to salinity, the lower portion gets corroded, resulting in water seepage. The cost of wood and carpentry is approximately Rs three lakhs per sluice gate.”
