MARGAO
Asserting that Sec 14 (1) of Land Revenue Code declares that all rivers are vested with the State Government and the people of Goa, Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco on Tuesday said it is incumbent on the Government through the Revenue Department to protect and safeguard its ownership and possession rights.
In a letter addressed to the Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte with a plea to safeguard the state’s ownership rights over river areas under MPT jurisdiction, Reginaldo said the question of ownership title is the root of the matter; adding that the entire Sancoale and Nauxim marina proposals will collapse on this point alone if the State Government asserts itself and has the lease deeds quashed.
In the letter, the Congress MLA said it is absolutely necessary for the government to safeguard the state’s ownership and possession rights over the said river areas as expressly declared.
“The decision to get the MPT’s illegal lease to private players cancelled would protect the interest of not only our traditional fishermen who for the past many centuries have been using rivers to eke out their daily living, but also ensure free and unrestricted mobility of Goemkars on the river banks,” he said.
“It appears that MPT is assuming or claiming to be the ‘owner’ of the water and land area within jurisdiction of its port limits jurisdiction notified under the Major Ports Act. I submit that such an impression or interpretation is fallacious. A port administration exercising jurisdiction over port limits would be a mere regulator or facilitator of marine traffic or maritime activities therein. But that by itself would not vest the port with proprietary rights over the area within its jurisdiction,” he noted.
“The resolution of this issue not only impacts Nauxim and Sancoale, but all areas within MPT jurisdiction where it is claiming ownership. The existing and proposed fishing jetties at Vasco are a case in point. A related but important issue is ownership of areas reclaimed from Zuari River by MPT alongside Mormugao port,” he added.
Saying that he has been informed that proceedings related to the river ownership issue have been initiated by MPT before the Deputy Collector/SDO Mormugao Vasco, Reginaldo hoped that the interests of the State Government, and thereby of the people of Goa, will be properly defended in the matter.
