MARGAO
Beleaguered residents of Pateapur-Nuvem on Monday raised a pertinent question before the authorities ” why are they being displaced from their houses dating back 100 years when the government is legalising houses on government and comunidade land under the Mhaje Ghar scheme?
The 14 house owners, along with their families, who received show-cause notices from the Nuvem Panchayat, called on the Forest officials at the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, South Goa, at Aquem on Monday with a plea to initiate action against what they claimed was illegal tree cutting by a Mumbai-based realtor.
Accompanied by former Nuvem Sarpanch Pausilipo Dourado and social activist Fidol Pereira, the residents demanded to know from the Forest officials the reason for the delay in initiating a complaint against the rival party for felling trees at Pateapur.
Forest officials admitted that no permission has been given to any party to cut down the trees in the property in question. They, however, said that the department has asked both parties to produce their documents to prove their claim over the property.
Claiming to be co-owners of the property in question, Anthony Rodrigues said the Forest Department has not acted on their complaint lodged against the realtor for having marked the trees in the property for felling. “Now, since we have come to know that trees inside the property have been cut, we have called upon the Forest officials to initiate action against the violators,” he said.
Pausilipo Dourado told the media, “How come the 14 families have been issued show-cause notices when the government has launched the Mhaje Ghar scheme to legalise illegal structures? The structures of these 14 families have been standing there for the last 100 years. Their interests need to be protected. We will all stand by these beleaguered people till justice is meted out to them,” he said.
Activist Fidol pointed out that activists from across Goa would come to support the people of Nuvem. “We want to assure the 14 families that the people of Goa will stand by them in defending their interests,” he added.
