As politics takes centre stage over the fate of lush green fields acquired more than two decades ago in the north and south of the commercial capital, beleaguered farmers continue to hope for the day when their ancestral lands will be returned for agricultural use.
With the ongoing war of words between Goa BJP president Damu Naik and Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai showing no signs of abating, farmers find themselves caught in the crossfire between the two political rivals. At stake are the paddy fields at Madel admeasuring 1.37 lakh square metres in the north and those located opposite the Margao railway station in the south admeasuring around 28,000 square metres, which were acquired by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) under the then BJP government between 2002 and 2005.
A farmer cultivating ancestral fields at Madel expressed hope that the issue would finally see a resolution, particularly with both incumbent MLA Vijai Sardesai and former MLA Damu Naik appearing to support the return of the acquired lands.
While the Sardesai-Naik spat centres around the Madel fields, which were acquired for the controversial truck terminus project, farmers cultivating fields opposite the Margao railway station are equally hopeful that a favourable decision on the Madel lands would pave the way for the return of their own fields. The fields opposite the Margao railway station were acquired by GSUDA for the purpose of a transportation centre.
Progressive farmer Claudius Dias said he remains optimistic that better sense will prevail and the government will eventually hand back the acquired lands to the farming community.
“We have been waging a sustained agitation for the last two decades, appealing to successive governments to return our paddy fields, but to no avail. However, we have not lost hope, as we continue to cultivate the fields opposite the railway station. These fields and the greenery they provide now constitute the lungs of the city,” Dias said.
Dias and other farmers were busy preparing for the kharif season on Saturday. Despite delays in the arrival of the monsoon, they have been nurturing their seedling nurseries using pots and buckets to ensure cultivation continues.
“We have been tending to our nurseries despite the challenges posed by the delayed rains. We hope the government will recognise our commitment and dedication towards preserving and protecting our greatest daiz—agriculture,” he added.
For the farmers, the issue transcends politics. As the political debate rages on, they continue to nurture their fields and their hopes that one day the lands acquired for projects that never fully materialised will once again be returned to them only for the exclusive use for agriculture.
Cultivators seek green tag for GSUDA-acquired paddy fields
File photo of the 1.37 lakh square metres of paddy fields acquired by GSUDA at Madel in the north of the commercial capital.
MARGAO
Farmers cultivating the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA)-acquired paddy fields at Madel and opposite the Margao railway station have posed a pointed question to Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane: Why have these lands not been reverted to Green or Agricultural Zone despite being continuously cultivated for decades?
Progressive farmer Claudius Dias has called upon the TCP Minister to immediately initiate the process of changing the zoning of the acquired fields from Special Commercial Zone to Agricultural or Green Zone status if the government is genuinely committed to protecting Goa’s greenery and agricultural heritage.
The plea assumes significance given that these fields were acquired nearly two decades ago by the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), a government body that currently falls under the Urban Development Department headed by Vishwajit Rane, who holds additional charge of the portfolio.
Despite the acquisition, farmers from Madel and Aquem have continued cultivating their ancestral lands without interruption year after year. In fact, farmers from Aquem have expanded agricultural activity on the acquired fields opposite the Margao railway station by taking up a second crop, particularly vegetable cultivation, contributing to Goa’s local food requirements and reducing dependence on produce imported from outside the State.
Dias said there was no reason why the TCP Department could not restore the zoning of the land from Special Commercial Zone to Agriculture or NDZ status. “Here is a clear case where farmers have been cultivating these fields continuously for decades, even after the land was acquired by the government. We would be more than happy if the status of our fields is reverted back from special commercial zone to agriculture,” the farmer said.
He further pointed out that Minister Rane occupies a unique position as both Chairman of GSUDA and head of the TCP Department. “Since the Minister is presiding over the affairs of GSUDA and also heads the TCP Board, nothing should prevent the government from reverting the zoning of these acquired fields to agriculture. Such a move would ensure that these green fields continue to serve as the lungs of the city and prevent vested interests from converting them into a concrete jungle,” the farmer added.
Master Plan for Margao casts fresh shadow over acquired green fields
Master Plan for Margao showing commercial and industrial activity opposite the Margao railway station.
MARGAO: Two decades after the paddy fields at Madel and opposite the Margao railway station were controversially acquired by the government for non-agricultural purposes, the land now faces a renewed threat of being converted into a commercial zone.
According to proposals contained in the controversial Master Plan for Margao, prepared for the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) by a Mumbai-based consultancy firm, several commercial and institutional projects have been earmarked for the two acquired parcels of agricultural land.
The plan proposes the Madel fields as part of a North Economic Corridor, while the fields opposite the Margao railway station have been identified for a range of activities, including an Innovation Hub and other commercial and institutional developments.
“The fields at Madel and opposite the Margao railway station were acquired by GSUDA nearly two decades ago for a truck terminus and a transportation centre, respectively. Following strong opposition from local farmers, these controversial projects were eventually shelved by successive governments. However, the proposals in the Master Plan for Margao have once again raised fears that the acquired fields could be diverted for commercial use in the near future,” a farmer said.
The fresh proposals have reignited concerns among farmers and environmental activists, who fear that the conversion of the paddy fields could further erode Margao’s agricultural landscape and set a precedent for the commercialisation of ecologically sensitive land.
