MARGAO: The Velim Civic and Consumer Forum in a written submission to the Deputy Collector, Margao supporting the Velim gram sabha’s decision to strongly object to the acquisition of farming land for the construction of fishmeal plant at Cutbona Jetty, has called for the land acquisition process to be cancelled immediately.

The NGO has also submitted a representation to the panchayat and the Collector, South, asking for action on the spillage from the trucks transporting fish which has result in numerous accidents on the roads in Velim and surrounding areas.

People of Velim are of the opinion that there exists no transparency in this acquisition as the Fisheries Department claims that they have no project report, no feasibility report nor a impact assessment report.

Moreover, the department has already advertised two tenders for construction of a jetty for Rs 9,07,55,805 each and one for construction of a jetty (part) and action shed of Rs 64,07,330 on a local daily dated June 16.

It may be recalled that at the gram sabha held on June 6, the point of land acquisitions on survey numbers 82 and 83 at Cutbona, all the correspondence received by the panchayat body till date on the topic was placed before
the people.

The gram sabha, after going through all correspondence unanimously resolved to object to the acquiring of khazan and farm land, and had demanded that the land acquisition process be dropped immediately.

This resolution was sent to the collector, South, with a list of questions to the Fisheries Department. The panchas also informed that a meeting was scheduled on June 11 in the chambers of the Deputy Collector, South. The gram sabha had suggested that certain ward development members and Velim Consumer Forum Members also be also invited on behalf of the villagers.

At the meeting at which were present the Velim panchas, the Communidade president and attorney, the Velim and Civic Consumer Forum members, representative of the Fisheries Department and the Boat Owners Association, the land acquisition officer listened to the verbal objections with Communidade and Velim Civic and Consumer Forum were told to given in their written objection by June 18.

On June 18, the objections were given. At this meeting (June 18) held in the presence of the Deputy Collector and the Deputy Director Fisheries it was informed that Mr S C Verenkar, Director of Fisheries, would personally come on June 25 to the Velim Panchayat at 11.30 a.m.

However, on June 25 at 10 a.m, the Deputy Collector (LA) informed the panchayat that the meeting was postponed to the dismay of the villagers, who had arrived at the venue in anticipation of the meeting.

It may be recalled that it was at the ordinary gram sabha of the Velim panchayat held on February 21, 2010 that the villagers had raised the issue regarding land acquisition at Cutbona by the government. The government had notified this under the sub-section 1 of Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1847 as being for public purpose. The gram sabha had demanded to know whether the panchayat had any information regarding the purpose of acquiring the huge agricultural land to which the presiding officer had replied in the negative.

After detailed discussion, it was resolved by the gram sabha to inform the authorities that the villagers of Velim had strong objections to acquiring of land without mentioning the specific purpose and details of the project.

On February 23, 2010 the panchayat had sent this gram sabha resolution to the Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition Section, and copy to Mr Filip Neri Rodrigues, local MLA and Minister, Mr Joaquim Alemao, Minister for Fisheries and the Director of
Fisheries, Panaji.