Question rationale behind inclusion of rural village in urban survey
Seraulim villagers question the NAKSHA land survey of Urban habitations when the village comes under a rural area.
MARGAO
Seraulim villagers on Thursday unanimously rejected the Central government’s proposed 3D National geospatial Knowledge-based land survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) in its current form, questioning the rationale behind the inclusion of their village for a survey primarily meant for urban habitations.
The message from a special meeting convened by the Seraulim Village Panchayat was unequivocal: Seraulim should be included in a land survey only if it is a pan-Goa exercise conducted by the State government and not a selective survey driven by the Centre.
Officials of the Directorate of Land Survey and Settlement, who attended the meeting chaired by Sarpanch Seema Shanke, faced a barrage of questions from villagers, many of whom sought clarity on the criteria used to include Seraulim in the survey.
“Why Seraulim and why not Valpoi, Pernem or Mapusa?” was a question repeatedly raised. Villagers also demanded to know why only villages on the periphery of the Margao Municipal area were included, with one resident asking why coastal villages such as Majorda and Betalbatim were excluded.
Former Seraulim panch Kevin D’Souza questioned the inclusion of a rural village in what is essentially an urban survey. “The 3D survey pertains to urban areas. Seraulim is a rural village. By including us, the government is attempting to urbanise the village, which will alter its demography. If this is a pilot project, exclude Seraulim and include other villages instead,” he said.
Social activist Lumeena Almeida said villagers no longer trust politicians, accusing the political class of forcing controversial projects on people. “We have seen what happened in Odisha and Manipur, where tribal land was taken over. We want Seraulim to remain a village. Why not conduct this survey in Valpoi, Pernem and other villages? Give them importance. We are farmers and we love our land,” she said.
She added that Seraulim villagers share a deep bond with their land. “This land belongs to the people, not the government, a king or the Portuguese. Our ownership has always been respected. We don’t pay land tax and we want to retain our ancestral land.”
Social activist Rodney Almeida asked the officials to convey the villagers’ opposition to the administration. When an official stated that the survey was meant for public benefit, Almeida retorted, “Tell the lawmakers that people no longer trust politicians. This is an urban survey and Seraulim has no role to play. The matter ends here.”
Kevin later told The Goan that the intent of the Thursday’s meeting is very clear – let the entire be surveyed by the state government and Seraulim will also be a part of the process. “We are ready for a land resurvey, but certainly not in the current form”, he asserted.
The Panchayat has been told to compile the minutes of the meeting and forward the same to the government for information and action.
