It amuses me to think that while Goanetters are all flapping their wings and bristling about "insults to Goans" they are by- passing the very real threats to their heritage and property here in Goa.
I went to our local Village Panchayat the other day, and met my neighbour John D in search of evidence to prove that his parents were legal owners and occupants of their home since 1929, the year it was built. The need for this came about because while John and his family ware away from Goa in the 1970's and their house was locked for 10 years following their parents' death, the Form No. XIV for the house was filled in by a local cobbler who not only entered his name in the Form XIV but also claimed he was living in the house for the last 25 years. My neighbours have now been living here since the late 1970's, and got the shock of his life the other day when he got a Court Order saying his house has been sold and giving them eviction notice. On rushing to verify the Form XIV he found that Form XIV carries the name of the said Cobbler, who apparently has now the right to claim it, sell it or do whatsoever he pleases. In the legal imbroglio that followed, John had to again rush to the Panchayat to get the original Form III which carries the original records of ownership of property, and this is when I chanced to be there and saw the pitiful state of these precious records. With great care we managed to piece together what was left of the page in the old register, and he was told by the Talathi that he was very lucky the relative records were available as many other books had been already destroyed by white ants and silverfish and had been disposed of. When I asked if I could keep a photocopy of my house ownership records before they were destroyed - he replied we could only do so by permission of the Bardez Talathi and that too only in the case of legal dispute. Now that all Records of Form XIV for Bardez have been computerised and centralised in Mapuca, it is time they do the same with the Form III records as well so that Goans can have some case to stand on in cases of landgrabbing by unscrupulous elements, which are cropping up by the dozen every day. The way things stand, all a Landgrabber needs is an unoccupied houise or property, and an unscrupulous local Talathi or Sarpanch to make a few changes, and it is theirs for the asking. Can one wonder the original, precious records of ancestral acquisition are fast disappearing and being "eaten" up? I do not see the logic of allowing the Form III tobe photocopied only in case of dispute. It would be safer for each family to have a copy in their posssession in case the need arises. It's time something positive was done for the preservation of these records before it is too late. Goans would do better to put aside frivoulous issues and join heads together to overcome those which threaten our homes and properties. Charlotte Alvares ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
