Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts

Saturday, 16 September 2023

Goa Government surrender Agricultural land to mining interests

It is saddening to note that Goa Government even though is preparing agriculture policy it has sabotaged Goa's farming interests through surrender to mining aggressions. Goa Legislative Assembly has not only committed blunder of the century but has also reduced themselves as merely executive committee of the mining companies. Long battle awaits us.


                      The text


Section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 "Permision for non-agricultural use.--- No land used for agriculture shall be used for any non-agricultural purpose; and no land assessed for one non-agricultural purpose shall be used for any other non-agricultural purpose or for the same non-agricultural purpose but in relaxation of any of the conditions imposed at the time of the grant or permission for non-agricultural purpose, except with the permission of the Collector under Section 32.


[Provided that the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to the land in occupation of the Government, Corporation of the City of Panaji, a Municipal Council or a Village Panchayat and land to be used for the installation of solar or wind power station.(inserted vide Ammendment Act 5 of 2021)] 


[Provided further that, nothing in this section shall apply to the activity undertaken in pursuance of the permission/licence granted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (Central Act No. 67 of 1957) and rules made thereunder.(Inserted vide Amendment Act 6 of 2023)]

 

                    Implications


2023 Amendment to section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 carried on by Goa Legislative Assembly allows mining in agriculture land without any permision from Collector of the respective Districts in Goa.


                        Çonsequences



So now it is legal to take over paddy fields for mining purpose. There is no need for mining companies even to pay any compensation for crop loss due to siltation of fields.


           Matter of Choice


Goa Government has chosen mining over agriculture. Mining is all set to inflict artifical planned disaster in near future and Goa's legislature is complicit in it. People have to make their choice. Agriculture policy cannot supercede Land Revenue Code. Ģoa Agriculuture Minister Ravi Naik and the members of the drafting committee has to make their stand clear or no policy can work however good it may be if Amendment to section 30 allowing mining in agriculture is not withdrawn.


Kindly share this note further. 

Thursday, 14 September 2023

Goa Politicians surrenders agriculture to mining

 Goa Government surrender Agricultural land to mining interests 


It is saddening to note that Goa Government even though is preparing agriculture policy it has sabotaged Goa's farming interests through surrender to mining aggressions. Goa Legislative Assembly has not only committed blunder of the century but has also reduced themselves as merely executive committee of the mining companies. Long battle awaits us.


                      The text


Section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 "Permision for non-agricultural use.--- No land used for agriculture shall be used for any non-agricultural purpose; and no land assessed for one non-agricultural purpose shall be used for any other non-agricultural purpose or for the same non-agricultural purpose but in relaxation of any of the conditions imposed at the time of the grant or permission for non-agricultural purpose, except with the permission of the Collector under Section 32.


[Provided that the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to the land in occupation of the Government, Corporation of the City of Panaji, a Municipal Council or a Village Panchayat and land to be used for the installation of solar or wind power station.(inserted vide Ammendment Act 5 of 2021)] 


[Provided further that, nothing in this section shall apply to the activity undertaken in pursuance of the permission/licence granted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (Central Act No. 67 of 1957) and rules made thereunder.(Inserted vide Amendment Act 6 of 2023)]

 

                    Implications


2023 Amendment to section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 carried on by Goa Legislative Assembly allows mining in agriculture land without any permision from Collector of the respective Districts in Goa.


                        Çonsequences



So now it is legal to take over paddy fields for mining purpose. There is no need for mining companies even to pay any compensation for crop loss due to siltation of fields.


                  Matter of Choice


Goa Government has chosen mining over agriculture. Mining is all set to inflict artifical planned disaster in near future and Goa's legislature is complicit in it. People have to make their choice. Agriculture policy cannot supercede Land Revenue Code. Ģoa Agriculuture Minister Ravi Naik and the members of the drafting committee has to make their stand clear or no policy can work however good it may be if Amendment to section 30 allowing mining in agriculture is not withdrawn.


Kindly share this note further. 


Dr. S.A. Rodrigues

Convenor,

Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Goa State


M: 9923336347

Tuesday, 12 September 2023

Vanxim in the context of Goa Agriculture Policy

There are several acres of agricultural land that are taken over through legitimate or illegitimate means for non-agicultural interests such as tourism, mining, real estate, educational institutions, roads, highways, highway expansions and industrial estates over the last three decades in the name of development. This has certainly provided big jolt to Goa's food security and traditional livelihoods systems that were essentially self-sustaining. Current churnings around drafting of Goanagricultire policy has provided added impetus for a collective reflection across state of Goa. 


While it is welcome initiative from the Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik to initiate this policy there remains looming concerns about the process and the scope of the policy intentions as put out by Director of Agriculture on May 23, 2023 with later amendments.


State of Goa has brazenly launched war on Goa's food security through multi faced attacked on Goa's land that sustained people in Goa for generations together. Unfortunately State wasn't alone in this ghastly aggression. Goa Archbishop and now Cardinal too joined the race to ruin Goa. With a masterful stroke of a monster he sold off Vanxim paddy fields to his Altinho neighbour Mahendra Gaunekar at a price less than peanut in 2007. This land then got under control of Bangalore based scamster Satyamurti Vasudevan in 2015 and came under IPB jurisdiction through cabinet decision. It's classic study on abuse of position and power by State and Religious authority. Goa Archbishop's office was well aware of Vanxim paddy fields going in the hands of corporate ruffians from the agreement to sale of Vanxim that was executed by then Archbishop Raul N. Gonsalves in April 1999. Yet monstrous trail was allowed to be completed.


From 2010 Mahendra Gaunekar initiated legal proceedings against all the tenants and deemed purchasers in the office of Deputy Collector at Panjim for condonation of delay with Santa Monica Society as the interested party. Deputy Collector passed orders in favour of Mahendra Gaunekar even though deputy collector has no power to do so as argued before Administrative Tribunal by none other than Adv. Mahesh Sonak representing Mahendra Gaunekar and currently Judge at Goa Bench of Bombay High Court. The cases then got revived at Mamlatdar court at Panjim seeking erasure of tenants. Out of 70 tenants on record- 35 from Vanxim and 35 from Naroa, Bicholim (to whom Vanxim people had given to cultivate but tenancy law gave them infinite tenure right over land) nearly 66 connived into getting their names erased as tenant submitting falsely that they never cultivated paddy fields in Vanxim and their names on form I & XIV form was by mistake. Most of them never had their own lawyer and surrendered their land cheaply. Those few who had their lawyer entered into costly deals and got paid several lakh. We were offered too and we refused steadfastly and litigation continues. And this is the reason paddy fields of khazan nature in Mandovi though sold off yet remains under litigation and legal hurdles persists. In not a single instance Archbishop's lawyer in Deputy Collector's court stood up to state the truth that tenants indeed cultivated paddy fields.


Most people in Vanxim seems to have understood as to how Ozone corporate hoodwinked them are now more alert than before.


Bharat Mukti Morcha has called for the investigations into the Vanxim deal with clear terms of references. Unfortunately even CBI has refused to investigate saying that Vanxim is beyond the CBI Jurisdiction.


Inspite of all the blocks in all side we have marched on with flame of dissent in our hand. We walked for 13 years and we invite you to join the journey ahead.


Challenge for all of us is (1) How do we get Ozone kicked out from Vanxim (2) How do we reclaim legal titles again on Vanxim paddy fields (3) How do we start cultivation paddy back again with all the hard work and diligence. 


How do we situate Vanxim khazan fileds in the context of Agriculture Policy for Goa much beyond State interpretation? What is people interpretation of Agriculture policy? Considering that several politicians on Goa who are in the Assembly and Parliament allegedly being palm greased by Ozone agents negative approach to Vanxim from politicians and State agencies are anticipated. What we need to focus is on People interpretation and enforcement of agriculture policy to overcome variety of official blockades to ensure Agriculture in Goa is revived inspite of all the blocks.

Wednesday, 14 September 2022

In defense of our Homeland Goa!

 

 

Kindly refer to the earlier important note in this regard at the links:

 

http://bharatmukti.blogspot.com/2022/09/when-state-turns-scam-curious-case-of.html?m=1

 

Further shocking details as contained in draft Goa Land Development and Building Construction (Ammendment) Regulation, 2022 as published in Official Gazette dated August 29, 2022 Series I, No. 21, Government of Goa as under:

 

1. The above draft is notorious handiwork of Steering Committee set up under Section 6 of the Goa (Regulation of Land Development and Building Construction) Act, 2008.

 

2. The members of the Steering Committee includes the following: (a) Chief Minister (Dr. Pramod Sawant) as Chairman (b) Urban Development (Vishwajit Rane) Minister as Member (c) Panchayat Minister (Mauvin Godinho) as Member (d) Town and Country Planning Minister (Vishwajit Rane) as member (e) Chief Secretary (IAS Officer) as member (f) Secretary to Urban Development Ministry (IAS officer) as member (g) Secretary to Panchayat Ministry (IAS Officer) as member (h) Secretary to Town & Country Ministry (IAS Officer) as member (i) Chief Town Planner as Member-Secretary and (j) One Co-opted Expert member.

 

Agriculture Minister is not on Steering Committee even though projects are pushed in A-1 and A-2 Agriculrural zones.

 

3. The above Steering Committee then appoints Sub-Committee consisting of (a) Director of Municipal Administration (b) Director of Panchayats (c) Chairman/member of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) (d) Goa Chamber of Housing Industry (GCHI) (e) Local Chapter Representatives of Associations of Town Planners, Engineers and Architects (f) Senior Town Planner as Member-Secretary.

 

Representative of Khazan Management Committee is neither on Steering Committee nor on Sub-Committee even though projects are pushed in Khazan land.

 

4. Timeline as evident after decidings:

(A) Notification on August 29, 2022

(B) Public can comment for 30 days upto September 27, 2022

(C) Sub-Committee to report to Steering Committee within two months: November 27  2022

(D) Steering Committee to sent recommendations to the Government within 30 days: December 26, 2022.

 

5. Formerly process started just a day before Ganesh Chaturthi 2022 and is likely to end a day after Christmas 2022.

 

6. Goa Government has appointed few people as Notary-Architects and Notary-Engineers as section 2 (90). List of them needs to be compiled based in Gazette notification of their appointment. 

 

7. In Ammendment to Regulation 3.11, in clause (c) requirements of post occupancy within 5 years is dropped. Now it will take place from time to time on random basis. 

 

There is no time limit within which post occupancy audit needs to be carried on. Even if it is not carried on it is perfectly alright. So the scope for illegalities further increases. Audit can be used as threat to extort and blackmail in the absence of any legally binding timeframe to carry out mandatory. The is a major blow for Goa and boon for real estate lobby for can turn intensely reckless in their endeavors.

 

Audit is required for Economic, Ecological, Social, Environmental reasons. Carrying capacity of Goa to accommodate buildings with respect to water and electricity consumption needs to be identified. And so Goa's capacity to handle Garbage generated by increasing housing projects. Ecological auditing needs to be carried on.

 

Track record of the past audits for group housing, multi-dwelling building s and multi storied buildings needs to be checked from the office of Town and Country Planning Department. 

 

8. In an Ammendment suggested in clause (d) in Regulation 4.11 choices of Authorities are added. While existing three choices are "Authority/Council/Panchayat". Choice expansion suggested now is "Authority/Council/Panchayat/Town and Country Planning Department/Planning and Development Authority/ Public Works Department". 

 

So TCP, PDA and PWD are included as additional choices. This amounts to violations 73rd and 74th Ammendment. Further it creates centralization of power relations and new horizons of corruption special regarding 40% coverage and 3 meters setback.

 

9. In a commercial zone Ammendment is suggested to Regulation 6A.1 in Table - VII against serial no.II to include a new category of building clusters known as SPC-CBD designating it as Special Commercial-CBD. CBD stands for Central Business District.

 

What is Special about this commercial zone is not explained. 

Use the word District denotes that's its administration will be headed by a Magistrate.

It seems to be Special Economic Zone in camouflaged manner.

If that commercial zone is central then it means all other zones are to the periphery.

This seems to be at the heart of economic inequality fostering strategy. 

 

10. Infrastructure for SPC-CBD (Special Commercial -CBD) as suggested through draft Ammendment to Regulation 6.A.4 in Table - VIII indicate permissions for 12 floor buildings that will need 15 meters wide roads, 40% coverage, 400 FAR, 10.00 meters front setback and 40 meters height. 

 

Where will this Central Business District located?

Get information on Modi ground.

Get information on Patto II Project.

 

11. In draft Ammendment Farm houses are permitted in Agricultural zones A1 and A2 even if land is classified as "Rice" (Paddy field) in survey records. All that is required elevation to the land and minimum Land area must be 10,000 m². Ground coverage sort to be given in these cases stands at maximum 2.5% and maximum built up area can go upto 500m² with maximum height of 7.60m from the ground level to the eaves of the roof."

 

This means building as big as two floors covering 500 m² can stand in rice field as a farm house. It's this a outright mockery? Since there is no Auditing involved any deviations can take place and government is not duty bound to act.

 

One more lethal attack on Agriculture. From no construction status inroads for construction in paddy fields are proposed to be opened up. Day may not be too far when Agriculture in Goa may stop and Agriculture Ministry may be shut fowm. Ravi Naik may be the last Agriculture Minister in Goa for there are several more lethal attacks on Agriculture in Ammendment elsewhere too as below.

 

12. The very meaning of Agriculture itself is sought to be distorted with draft Ammendment to Regulation 6.A.3.1 inserts provisions in A1 and A2 zones that are outrightly objectionable. New additions proposed as agricultural activity:

 

(I) Agricultural Research Centre

(II) Development Centre

(III) Agricultural Educational Institute

(IV) Bio-Technology Unit

(V) Open Air Sports Structure

(VI) Open Air Religious Structure

(VII) Golf Course

(VIII) Film City

(IX) Film studio

(X) Residential school 

(XI) Yoga or mediation Centre

 

No dictionary every equals above 11 items as Agricultural practice of any society ever. They are given various minimum Land holding limits. And varying coverage and FAR for construction purpose. This draft Ammendment is a conduit to concretize remaining paddy fields of Goa. Only the greedy perverts can think of such a cruel abominations.

 

13. Suggested Ammendment to 6A.4 (iii) in Note (12) proposes to give two stilt floors free for measurement of height in any zone for a building with permissible 150 FAR.

 

Stilt floors are the floors for parking of cars of the building residents. However in scenario of absence of audit it is totally possible that greedy mafia real estate agents will construct flats on stilts and sell them off, of course, with palm greasing of all concerned. The fall out is parking of cars will be on public roads. This allowance like to be misused as it is non-transparent and arbitrary together with proposed absence of mandatory auditing of the building.

 

14. Existing provision at Regulation 6.A.4 (iv) Note (16) is replaced with a new one. It was required that at the time of approval of development plans minimum 6 meters wide right of way should be available on site. This has been done away with. For right of way to be 6 meters width of the road is legally required to be 8 meters as definition of road includes shoulders and gutters adjacent to the right of way.

 

ANNEXURE-XII is introduced as a minimum width of road requirements for the buildings. Let's examine this annexure further.

 

15.  For a single dwelling with 200 m² minimum width of road needed is 3 mts or less if passing through other/ traditional access. Less mean it could be 2 mts or even 1 mt. Sounds ridiculous? Not at all. There are provisions in place that builder will pay Government to aquire land for roads in these type of land locked construction projects. Then road will be widened. Private lands are not safe at from real estate predators.

 

For a floor area of 500 m² of single dwelling unit 3 mts or more but public road is required.

 

For double units of 400 m² floor area width of the roads required is greater than 3 upto 4 mts.

 

For 4 units of 600 m² floor are public roads with width greater than 4 upto 5 mts is needed.

 

For 8 units of 1000 m² width of public road requirements is greater than 5 upto 6 mts is needed.

 

For 180 units with Floor area of 20,000m² width of road needed is 6 meters or greater. This means if units between 9 and 179 will need public road with width of greater than 5 mts upto 6 mts. Can public road of this width cater to 179 units fully occupied?

 

Further Table X provides scientific analysis of road. Width of the road includes gutters on both sides of the roads and shoulders on both sides of the roads. Gutters and shoulders occupy two meters of the road width. Right of way that is omitted in the drat Ammendment is what is actually  available space for vehicles to move on road. This means if the width of road is 5 mts then considering the width occupied by gutters and shoulders only one meter may be available for movement of vehicles. Only two wheelers can move in such space. 

 

The provisions introduced by bypassing right of way proviso is dangerous. Thinking looks to be to do away with gutters and shoulders. This will turn roads killers and introduce unimaginable floods due to roads without gutters as the case in many places where reckless urbanisatiom is haboured by the State. Audaciously definition of roads on this same law of TCP is overlooked. This audacity comes from the assumption of the Steering Committee that people of Goa will be efficiently mind control and this fact will never come to their attention. Bluff is over now.

 

16. This Annexure XII is substituted for existing BEE Annexure XII dealing with Adoption of Energy Conservation Building Code, 2006 of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Department of Power, Government of India to control energy guzzling projects in Goa. This means buildings in Goa will be supplied with unlimited energy caring hoot for carbon footprints. Currently there is a legal limit upper limit on consumption of electricity. With the omission this limit goes off and disequilibrium in State Electricity supply can be expected in disruptive manner. Hence Energy Conservation Annexure that is sought to be done away with must be retained and adopted to Goa.

 

17. In an Ammendment to 6.A.3.1 clause (e) more construction is allowed in Industrial Zones I-1, I-2 and I-3. More people are allowed to reside in industrial areas not withstanding risks and hazards. Workers in industrial establishment need not take residence outside industrial zones.

 

Some years ago Industrial Estates were taken away from Panchayat jurisdictions. It's ironical indeed. Panchayat themselves are alien to Goa. They were installed to manage annexed conquest territory of Goa. Now there is trend to weaken them as much as possible. Time has arrived to revert back to pre-1961 model of management of Goa minus Portuguese rule.

 

18. There already are regulations in place that regularises unauthorized constructions less than 500 square meters. Now this facility is sought to be extended to those unauthorized constructions above 500 square meters. This is applicable also in Coastal CRZ areas with the permission of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). All that is required is the evidence that construction was before 31-12-2020. Evidence can be anything Electricity bill, water supply bill, tax receipts etc. Compounding fee is six times more than normal license.

 

After few years there is likely Ammendment that all such unauthorized constructions before 31-12-2022 will be regularised. This can on every two years till every inch of Goa's land is Urbanized.

 

This is very profitable venture to the vested interests on prowl but it is destined to ruin Goa to the point unimaginable. Damage causes might even have long term irreversible impacts. No impact studies are carried on even for legally permitted building so where is the question of assessing impacts of unauthorised structures? System in place is in need of drastic shake up.

 

19. FAR of 20% for 4 and 5 star hotels in increased to 30%. 3 star hotels too are given 30% FAR. Surely this is to benefit tourism lobby. This is indicative of the fact that Goa administration is controlled by luxury tourism lobby. Though public votes politicians, public has no control over them after they get elected. Political class is unanimous not to get Political Parties under the scope of RTI Act and hence it is not possible to know as to which corporate funded which politicians gor them to 'purchase' votes at the time of elections. Hence current democratic system has turned voters into disposable diapers that are to be discarded as soon as elections are over and further subjected to cruel humiliating treatment as reflected in this very draft Ammendment. Indian burecrats are part of the this nasty game as well. Indian Administrative service trains officers to rule ever since 1961 Annexure of Goa through conquest as pointed out by Supreme Court of India in Shantilal Gosalia mining Case.. This Ammendment indicate treatment of Goa as war booty camouflaged as liberation. The practical goal keepers are Goa's perennial behind the scene operators: Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). They are part and parcel of this disgusting process to push Goa to extinction. This they asses is currently the best timed considering voice of Goans is weakened due to self-censorship enforced by those with Portuguese citizenship. 

 

20. There is an addition of new Annexure- XIV-A for allowing additional 20% FAR to the medical institutions/hospitals having 200 beds and more. Are these for private hospitals/medical institutions?

 

Recommendation for additional FAR must come from the State Government agencies. 

 

With the absence of Auditing system there is no accountability of what purpose these hospitals buildings will be put to.

 

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Currently Urban Development Ministry, Town and Country Planning Ministry as well as Health Ministry is in the hand of one person Vishwajit Rane. Implication of such a concentration of power can easily lead to moral and ethical subversion in the corridors of power at the highest levels in Goa and Delhi. In fact there is something abnormal in the conduct of Vishwajit Rane. No one can sell off his homeland on a platter in a mercenary style the way this Ammendment seeks to sell off Goa. It  is a serious crises and to salvage Goa we need to locate true homeland of Vishwajit Rane and deport him there to sell it off to whoever he wants. It is most likely that Vishwajit Rane knows his homeland and can ponder as to if he would treat land of his forefather the way hebis treating Goa through this Ammendment. 

 

21. Some common observations thus as under:

 

(i) Translation of this Ammendment  is not available in vernacular language or official language for people to understand impact and implications on their fields and kulagars. Since the impact is going to be long lasting discussion on this Ammendment has to carried on at booth level across State of Goa. For this 30 days are not enough. Even if State Government doesn't extent the last date under influence of commercial interest this needs to discussed across the State of Goa far longer. If needed for the next five years. Discussion is the first step to action. State Government would like public not to discuss this and will certainly will throw various candies for distractive purpose. We need to reject them at the first instance. This Ammendment is the final nail the coffin of the very idea of Goa that we know of, the very idea of freedom we know of, the very idea of fresh air we breath, very notion of roads that we treat on and very history of Goa that we were prevented from learning. It is for this reason that we need to discuss this intensely both before and after September 27, 2022.

 

(ii) Land as a commodity is being brokered in terms of FAR of 400, increase of 15% for farm house, 30% for hotels, 20% for hospitals, premium payment for all FAR above 200, unauthorised regularisation, less road width instead of more to favour builders, farm houses in fields, etc..... all will only be a business model to broker land value and multiply corrupt in a department which have been notorious with every changing Minister. Latin meaning of the word 'Minister' is Servant. It means one who serves people. The behavior of current ministers is far from being servants. In fact they deviated so far away from their original role that the word Minister doesn't fit them. Most appropriate word currently fits them is 'Monster'. So we have Chief Monster, Council of Monsters, etc.

 

(iii) This actually can be a election funding model for all Politicos from land sharks.

 

(iv) There will be boom in construction, Ease of Doing Business, GCCI/TTAG/GCZMA will decide many critical areas of land use against an expected process of study, analysis, action, audit and review.

 

Ease of Doing Business is more important to the government than the constitutional duty cast on it to be custodian of the environment and showing the way forward for sustainability.

 

(v) All Rice fields will be in one stroke reduced by 15% as it will be covered by farmhouses.

 

To end it is important to know the original Latin meaning of the word Government. It is composed of two Latin words " Guverno" meaning to control, and "mentis" means mind. Government therefore means to control minds. Entire Government endeavor is mind control program in innumerable ways. Some of these programs will be clearly visible as soon as this note hits public domain. For public cannot be looted and fooled if their minds are not controlled. Logically, this Ammendment cannot be enforced without effective mind control program in Goa. Mind control programs are required to complete what was started by Nehru in December 1961. Congress Party started it then. BJP seeks to complete the conquest of Goa to the last inch. The Ammendment under discussion seeks to advance thus agenda. You are welcome to comprehend this note. You are welcome to debate, agree or disagree this note. You are welcome join us as we stand to defend Goa's land from organised mafia and their dens in corridors of powers. Yes, you are welcome, you are indeed welcome! Goa is our homeland!

 

You are requested to study this note and start discussions in your neighborhoods, contacts, friends, networks and family.

 

You can use this note as a backgrounder to your interventions at various levels of governance in Goa and India.

Thursday, 27 February 2020

Illegal stone quarry damaging agriculture in Colomba


Date: February 27, 2020
To,
The Director,
Department of Mines and Geology,
Panjim, Goa

Subject: Illegal stone quarry damaging agriculture in Colomba

Sir/Madam,

This is to bring to your attention illegal operation of stone quarry at Colomba, Sanguem near the Hiralal Khodidas mine during night and early hours of the day. This activity is badly affecting nearby paddy fields cultivated by Scheduled Tribes People namely Devki Katu Velip, Tulsidas Velip, Rajani Velip and their family members. In rainy season the muddy water from the stone quarry also likely to flow in paddy fields as well as in Kushavati river destroying marine ecology and fishing.

For further directions to the site of this illegal quarry kindly contact Motesh Antao on his mobile: 9168206872. Kindly act.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,
 Sd/-
Maggie Silveira

President, Goa State & National Council Member of National Platform of Small Scale Fish Workers (Inland)

Thursday, 19 July 2018

Attack on Jose Oliviera at Merces


Today July 19, 2018 at  10.30 am Jose Oliveira was brutally attacked near Merces Panchayat. According to reports from Old Police Station his complaint has been received and he has been sent medical tests at Goa Medical College, Bambolim. Jose Oliveira is involved in active resistance against filling of paddy fields in Goa and complaining on various CRZ violations. Sources indicate that Oliveira was bleeding through the nose after attack in full day light. Bharat Mukti Morcha condemns this ghastly act of violence. Please call Old Goa Police Station and insist that FIR be registered in this case. Here is landline of Old Goa Police Station : 08322285301.


Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Thanks to bamon Raj, Goa complete five months of road to landless future for mulnivasis

This below is an extract of leaflet distributed during last Panjim Assembly Elections by Independent Candidate Sadanand Vaigankar of Goa Kull and Munkar Sangarsh Samiti.
 
You may be aware that Manohar Pant on 27th September 2014 in the name of amendment to the Agricultural Tenancy Act created new law for the protection of landlords, and all the tenants and mundkars have been pushed into misery.

By amending section 4 (a) of Agricultural Tenancy Act government has granted ownership rights to landlords. Via section 46 (b) Tenants are told to approach Civil Court to claim their ownership rights. Via section 60 (c) Tenants are told that in case they intend to approach the Court then they must do it within 3 years. After that tenants will have no right to knock the doors of the Court.

This amendment is opposite of Tenancy laws of 1964, 1965 and 1975. Section 4 (a) of The Agricultural Tenancy (Amendment) Act, 2014, Close 4A Contract farming – (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, any person may by an agreement entered into in writing with the landlord or an owner of the land, and duly registered with the Sub-Registrar of the Taluka within whose jurisdiction such land is situated, cultivable, or undertake and carry out any agricultural operations upon, such land.
By this provision landlords can take all the land and strip tenants of all the rights. Most of the landlords are Bamons and almost all the tenants are mulnivasis. The intention of this law is to handover land control to Bamons, thereby ushering intensified rule of Bamon Raj i.e Manusmriti.

In opposition to this law Tenancy Act, 1964, section 7 and as per the government circular dated 20th December 1995 under no circumstances landlords can get these lands back. Even land abandoned by tenants cannot be reverted back to landlord. Who should get these land is also well set by section 18 J of the above cited government circular.

Circular
    “ A question has arisen as to whether a tenant who is the deemed owner of land under the Goa, Daman and Diu Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964 (Act 7 of 1964), can revert the land back to the original landlord.
     The matter has been examined and it is hereby advised that under no circumstances can a tenant under the Act, 1964 revert the land back to the landlord but the land shall be disposed off in the manner provided in sub-section (2) of section 18 J of the said Act, 1964.”
A Cardozo, Under Secretary (Revenue) to the Government of Goa.
Panaji, 20th December 1994

Parrikar’s new law is in complete opposition to the existing law. Section 4 (a) is meant to cheat, loot and against the interest of the tenants. Within this one section Parrikar has destroyed 1964 and 1975 Tenancy law. Through the new pro-landlord law section 46 (b) Parrikar has fixed that tenancy cases will be filed in session court alone. But as per section 58 of Goa, Daman and Diu Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964 no Court has jurisdiction to settle, decide or deal with any question which is by or under this Act.

“Section 58. of Goa, Daman and Diu Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964 – (2) save as provided under this Act, no Court shall have jurisdiction to settle, decide or deal with any question which is by or under this Act required to be settled, decided or dealt with by the Mamlatdar, Tribunal, Collector or Government and no order passed by these authorities under this Act shall be questioned in any Civil or Criminal Court.”

Under Section 46 (b) no tenant will get Justice in Session Court. This is because 95% of tenants does not posses their receipts, their names are not entered in Form I & XIV, someone else’s name is entered in Form I & XIV as tenant. It is next to impossible to get witnesses in the Session court. Court will not be able to go and inspect the paddy fields and investigate, for it has no powers to do so. And most importantly tenant has to search and get Opponent landlord. From where the landlord of he two-three generation past will be found by the current generation of tenant to be presented in the Court as Opponent? If Landlord is not presented as Opponent then Court will not accept the case for hearings.In this circumstances no tenant will get Justice. After expiry of three years landlord will personally take over the land.

Under section 60 (c) Manohar Pant (Pant is a title used exclusively in Bamon kingdom of Peshwayee in Pune that was destroyed by  Mahar regiment of British empire in bloody war of 01/01/1818) speaks of providing speedy justice to tenants.

25 years ago BJP set up its shop in Goa. It was then BJP’s first elections. From that day we fought thousands of agitations, so many marches (yatras) went criss-cross Goa. In 2000 BJP government was formed in Goa under Parrikar’s leadership.  Yet for past 25 years Parrikar has not launched a single agitation to get Justice for Tenants, never thought about their rights.

For past 25 years we have not worked for any political party except BJP. We have not voted for any political party except BJP. In this context we cannot question Congress. We are questioning Parrikar. Fro past 50 years tenants in Goa have been denied Justice. Of these Parrikar is responsible for 25 years. If he wanted then through agitation, could have pressurized any government in power and helped tenants to attain Justice. He was the leader of the opposition for past so many years. So, then why he never raised the issue of tenants to government in power?

In March 2012 BJP government was established why he thought of amending tenancy law after two and half years, after Lok Sabha Elections concluded? He was thinking that public will not understand the conspiracy behind this two-and-half years of silence. He knew if he had to bring amendment then it would have negatively affected both the Lok Sabha Seats in Goa.

The Second question, Parrikar used to make public statement repeatedly that people should ‘frame BJP’s Assembly and Lok Sabha Elections and hang on wall’. But in these manifestoes nowhere has he mentioned that he is going to invent Tenancy law and usher in Landlordism that is Bamanism. This he concealed intentionally from Goa’s Bhahujan Samaj.

Mostly Tenancy lands are under control of Bhahujan Samaj and Parrikar has betrayed them. This they have not realized till date as Parrikar has driven them to misery. Eyes of Bhahujan Samaj are blindfolded with numerous government schemes. They will not stay blind for long. The day the eyes of bhahujan Samaj will open Parrikar will realize the power of Bhahujan Samaj. They have not yet understood that the so many welfare schemes that Parrikar has implemented has dished out money that are siphoned off from the pockets of bhahujan samaj itself are returned as schemes.

At Central government level after BJP came to power with absolute majority Narendra Modi has smashed he backbone of farmers. In order to create misery Modi repealed two important legal safeguards on 1st January 2014. Prior to this farmer was legally safe and secure. In one legal provision it was maintained that if government want to acquire farm land of double crop variety then it was mandatory for the government to take permission of 80% of farmers. After that as a compensation government had to pay 4 times of the contemporary market rate; it was mandatory that while giving this compensation also pay 100% interest for a year.

The second legal provision that was repealed was farmers’ right to challenge land acquisition in the Court of Law. Now both these safeguards are done away with and state can acquire any land at any price and farmers will have no right to challenge in the court of law.


Now if any farmer securely engaged in his farming business and his land is confiscated, what should this farmer do at this moment?

Friday, 27 June 2014

Bamon Mahendra Gaunekar (Ozone Corporate) bulldozed in Vanxim



Ilha de Vanxim Association appreciates written statements of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with regard to State policy on river bank land, mangroves land and agricultural land. Goa Chief Minister in a written letter dated 16th April 2014 addressed to the then Indian Minister of Environment and Forest Dr.M.Veerappa Moily has made three decisive statements that are directly applicable to safety of Vanxim island. The three statements are as follows:

1.     “The State is blessed with seven rivers and covers length of 253 kms. Approximately. The state is committed to conserve its natural heritage by regulating development around the rivers; and hence has subjected the areas around rivers under the Coastal Zone Regulation with No development Zone’s of 100 meters from the bank of the rivers on all sides; thereby imposing serious land use restriction.” Vanxim is located right in the middle of Mandovi river and if measured 100 meters from the banks of Mandovi river eliminates any chance of construction of Spa, Golf Course, five star hotel by Bamon Mahendra Gaunekar and his allies at ozone corporate. Ilha de Vanxim Association welcomes this decision of the Chief Minister. Such construction plans are being circulated in written form in Vanxim.

2.     “The State’s Coastal areas are full of Mangroves and khazan land and development around mangroves and on khazan land is banned by the State Government as voluntary measure to protect the ecological heritage of the State and to maintain ecological balance in the State.” Vanxim too is full of mangroves. Gaunekar tried to cut some of the mangroves and for this he needs to be arrested, trial be conducted and imprisoned. Ilha de Vanxim Association welcomes this decision of the Goa government too.

3.     “Also 40 % of the land is under agriculture which the government has decided not to be diverted.” Huge track of land of Vanxim island is under agriculture that is currently obstructed due to vested interests at agriculture department and people like Narayan Bhonsle of Tentant Association colluding with each other and with Mahendra Gaunekar for mutual destruction of agriculture of Vanxim island. Mahendra Gaunekar has filed nearly 70 court cases against the tenants and paid huge amount of cash to discourage them from holding on to their paddy fields and instead soliciting false negative declarations that they have never cultivated these paddy fields! Archbishop of Goa sold these paddy fields to Mahendra Gaunekar for Rs.6/- per square meter with huge cash in black. Perhaps this has been one of the most likely subjects of Archbishop’s below-the-radar discussion with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14th June 2014. Ilha de Vanxim Association supports this decision of the Chief minister and agricultural land in Vanxim too should not be diverted. Its survey number 8 too must not be diverted for settlement purpose as it is paddy field. Those responsible for lobbying and changing land use pattern of survey number 8 in regional plan must be immediately arrested, put on trial and imprisoned. Chief culprit here is Mahendra Gaunekar. Immediately State government must get its act together and with Tarun Tejpal arrest speed also put Mahendra Gaunekar behind the bars. Mahendra Gaunekar must also be tried and prosecuted for paying large amount of cash to tenants in order to lure them to abandon cultivation and repairs of bunds thereby causing flood of paddy fields. This is absolutely criminal and Mahendra Gaunekar must be immediately taken into custody. In this way agriculture in Vanxim must be revived and people educated and encouraged to cultivate paddy for this is what sustains life. 

As Goa Chief Minister has put these points in the form of written letter this goes as legally valid and that needs to be honored by him and for his very integrity.

Sincerely,
Sd/-
(Maggie Silveira)
President
Ilha de Vanxim Association