Anger grows in affected villages as Railways push for a later date; notice lapse forces further delay
Delegation of villagers from Velsao, Pale and Cansaulim, led by MP Viriato Fernandes and Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, meets South Goa District Collector Egna Cleetus over adjourned ISLR court hearings in Margao.
MARGAO
Villagers of Velsao, Pale and Cansaulim left the Court of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR) in Margao on Monday disappointed and agitated, as yet another hearing in the long-pending double tracking land dispute ended without arguments being heard.
Appearing for the 17th hearing with renewed hope, villagers were taken aback when the presiding officer revealed that three additional respondents had not been served notices earlier. Acknowledging the lapse as a procedural error by predecessors, the officer stated that fresh notices—both physical and through newspaper advertisements—would now have to be issued, delaying proceedings further.
Tensions escalated when the matter was called, as the new counsel for the South Western Railway sought additional time, requesting a hearing date not earlier than the second week of June. This triggered strong objections from the villagers, who argued that the Railways had already been granted ample opportunities to submit land title documents.
Citing the case records, villagers pointed out that the Railways had last been given a chance on November 27, 2025, to produce the documents, but had failed to do so. They urged the court to proceed with arguments without further delay, highlighting the continued impact of the dispute on their livelihoods.
Residents also referred to the alleged demolition of plantations and a 48-year-old traditional distillery in January 2025, which they claim was carried out with police assistance. They insisted that such actions underscored the urgency of hearing the case.
Eighty-three-year-old Max De Souza appealed emotionally to the court, stating that elderly villagers had been making repeated visits in anticipation of the arguments finally commencing.
'Delaying tactic'
The presiding officer indicated that issuing notices to the additional respondents could take up to 20 days, followed by time for the Railways to file its reply. This drew further criticism from villagers, led by South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, who described the delay as a tactic allowing alleged illegal railway work on disputed land to continue unchecked.
Villagers also appealed that each respondent be heard individually, noting that their objections relate to varied concerns, including loss of inherited land, right of way, and disruption of village stormwater drainage systems.
After long deliberations, with the Railways lawyer literally pleading for a long date and the villagers adamant about an early date, the villagers reluctantly agreed to June 3, but not before the presiding officer agreed to their demand that the reply by the Railways and the commencement of the arguments should take place on the same day.
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Villagers question rule of law as rail work continues amid dispute
MARGAO: As the villagers only heard adjournments of the hearings before the ISLR court and the Railways went about the double tracking work in the villages of Velsao, Pale and Cansaulim despite the land dispute, agitated villagers warned South Goa Collector Egna Cleetus that the patience of the people is running out, which could lead to an uncontrollable law and order situation.
The villagers questioned whether the rule of law is not applicable to the Railways, as they demanded to know how it can continue the work with police protection when they cannot produce the land title documents before the Court of the Inspector of Settlement and Land Records.
After the adjournment of the hearing before the ISLR Court, a delegation comprising South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa, Goencho Ekvott founder member Orville Dourado Rodrigues, Congress leaders Olencio Simoes, Savio Coutinho, Mahesh Nadar, ex-minister Alina Saldanha, Sanjay Redkar, Rupesh Shinkre, Edwin Pinto, Jose Miranda, Diana Pinto, among others, called on the South Goa District Collector Egna Cleetus and apprised her of the difficulties faced by the citizens vis-à-vis loss of their inherited land, loss of access to their heritage homes, damage to the ecosystem, etc.
The collector gave the delegation a patient hearing, but not before the elected representatives sent a stern message that the patience of the affected villagers was running out since their daily peaceful existence was being affected and that tempers were at an all-time high, which could lead to an uncontrollable law and order situation, for which the government would be fully responsible. The Collector, on her part, agreed to look into the written grievances of the villagers and assured them she would act legally according to her mandate.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa told the media that the time has come for the people of Goa to come onto the streets to assert their rights.
“When arguments do not take place for months together and the Railways are carrying out the work without a clear land title, this only goes to show there is no rule of law. In such a situation, the people will have no option but to hit the streets to protect their land, heritage and village,” he said.
MP Viriato Fernandes echoed similar sentiments, saying the villagers have reached a point which can lead to a law and order situation if they do not get justice.
