Comunidades to take on govt for protection of their rights BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 20 – With increasing demand for land in Goa to pursue development projects en masse, the Association of the Components of Comunidades today unanimously resolved to fight tooth and nail for the protection of Comunidade land at any cost. The representatives of various comunidade components from both the North and South of Goa expressed various concerns on this aspect during an annual general body meeting held in Panjim today. One of the main issues that echoed time and again at the meeting was on the misinterpretation of the Code of Comunidades due to improper and unauthentic translation to English from Portuguese, which it was felt, was causing umpteen problems in the endeavour of the components in protecting comunidade land. This issue came up when the component of Chicalim regretted that no certified copy of the English translation of the Code of Comunidades was available yet. The Secretary of the Association advocate Andre Pereira that the government is following whatever translations and courts “are incorrect translations” pointed it out. It was also opined that whatever translations being followed were not gazetted and as such should be deemed invalid. It was also opined that the Code of Comunidades existing in the Portuguese language gave the government no right to amend it in English. A proposal was mooted to challenge any amendment to the Code of Comunidades in the court of law. Addressing the components today, Advocate Pereira opined that while the comunidade components had no voice in the formation of the government he regretted that the components were suffering immensely at the hands of the administrators of comunidades who are political appointees. This issue was also voiced by several others from South Goa components. It was also alleged that the comunidade components were being allegedly subjected to step motherly treatment by the Administrative Tribunals. A suggestion was also mooted that there could be a separate directorate for comunidades. John Philip from the comunidade component of Nagoa-Verna suggested that the Right of Information be used to seek compliances and information, which will throw light on various aspects. Servo Fernandes from the comunidade component of Colva also said, “ We are disunited which is taken advantage of by the government and its agents.” Fernandes opined that land in Goa has become an expensive commodity and comunidades having the maximum land need to protect it from encroachers. He impressed on the need for the Association of comunidade component to find all irregularities and approach the court for justice. It regretted that large areas of land holdings were being taken over for IT cities in the name of providing jobs and housing which only benefit outsiders. Two cases of land being sold to outsiders at Serula a and Taleigao were also highlighted. Others who spoke also felt that unless the 220 odd comunidade components fought together against various illegalities, the government headed by chief minister Pratapsingh Rane and IT Minister Dayanand Narvekar would destroy these age-old institutions. The association of the components of comunidades has decided to meet again in October during which time a concrete plan of action would be finalized for seeking legal recourse. The meeting concluded with Servo Fernandes being appointed as Vice President of the Association and Victor Hugo Gomes being appointed as Chairman of the South Goa unit of the association _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
