CANACONA
Insisting that they are all Niz Goenkars and not migrants, a number of residents from Agonda said they had met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to request him to regularise their houses on Comunidade land.
Responding to statements by a TMC leader that the government is trying to give this land keeping an eye on votes, Adv Fiona Rodrigues told media persons in Agonda on Thursday that there was no political agenda in their move.
“We came out when we got a demolition order and approached courts. No one has instigated us to come out. On account of the constant threat to demolish our houses, we met the chief minister when we came to know that he wanted to come to the rescue of people living on Comunidade land for ages,” said Adv Rodrigues.
Adv Rodrigues said they had met the chief minister at his residence and put forth their demand for early regularisation of their houses in Agonda.
“We informed the chief minister that we are from Agonda and living on Comunidade land. We are frequently being served with notices, demolition orders and then we had to approach courts.”
“For so many years, our people have been running to various courts, with some cases before the mamlatdar, collector and civil courts. Some months ago, around 78 of us received demolition orders. We challenged these demolition orders in the High Court in April-May month, and a result came fifteen days ago that our appeal is allowed and remanded back to the Administrator.”
“However, the same thing will happen. The court will ask us to file our reply and we will stick back to our position and we will get demolition orders yet again. So, this is a constant threat our people in Agonda have fearing when our houses will be demolished,” she added.
Hitting out at allegations that the chief minister is out to help migrants, Adv Rodrigues claimed that over 250 people had gone to meet the chief minister at his residence and none of them were migrants.
Nandkishore Phaldessai said they have requested Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to bring in a legislation at the earliest and save them from constant threats of demolition of their houses.
An elderly woman said they are always being threatened with notices by the Comunidade.
“These notices should stop and also no one should get demolition orders. There are more than 500 houses on Comunidade land. We are Goenkars and this land is of Goans. We have been staying here for several decades,” the woman said.
