PANAJI
The State government on Saturday sought to allay public concerns over the inclusion of villages in the ongoing 3D land survey of Panaji, Margao and Cuncolim, clarifying that the move was purely to meet the Centre’s qualification criteria of population and geographical area for each of the municipalities.
“These villages will not be urbanised. Misinformation is being spread,” North Goa Collector Ankit Yadav, IAS, said at a press conference at the Secretariat in Porvorim. He was joined by Additional Collector Gurudas Desai and Director of Settlement and Land Records Chandrakat Shetkar.
Yadav explained that the Centre’s scheme for digital 3D land surveys requires a minimum threshold of municipal area and population, which Goa’s cities did not meet.
“To qualify, we had to include surrounding panchayat areas. This does not change their status,” he said.
Shetkar added that surveys conducted nearly 50 years ago are outdated, and this 3D survey is a pilot exercise which will eventually be extended across Goa.
Officials also dismissed viral social media videos alleging that the government intends to appropriate vacant or inherited land through the Escheats, Forfeitures and Bona Vacantia Act, 2024 and the “survey initiative.” was an exercise in that direction.
Yadav stressed that the two are distinct processes and that claims of land grabbing are baseless.
“This information is completely wrong and an attempt to instill fear in people,” he said.
Desai elaborated on the legal processes under the Escheats, Forfeiture and Bona Vacantia Act, which he said was recommended by retired Justice V S Jadhav, who headed the one-man commission probing the widespread land-grab cases.
Under this law, if a property is reported to be without legal heirs, the talathi reports the matter to a case officer (mamlatdar), who then files a report and refers it to the Deputy Collector. The property is registered and its mutation, partition or conversion is prohibited until claims are settled.
A public notice is displayed at the panchayat or municipal office, giving heirs up to one year to object. The competent authority (Deputy Collector) will then hear the matter and pass a verdict, with provision for reconsideration.
If no heir is found, the property reverts to the government as an escheat, but remains in custody for 10 years.
“Even during this 10-year period, heirs are free to assert their rights. Only after 10 years can the government dispose off the land by auction,” Desai clarified.
Officials urged citizens not to fall prey to misinformation and reiterated that the 3D survey is only aimed at modernising land records, improving transparency, and aiding urban planning.
