-- Samir Umarye
PANJIM: Goa government Friday told the State legislative assembly the vexed issue of Mayem Evacuee Property would be solved by vesting the land in the name of the tenants and mundkars of the village by December 19, 2012. Revenue Minister Francis D’Souza assured a solution to this problem, while responding to the resolution moved by Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane, who had demanded that the name of the government should be removed from the occupants’ column from Form I and XIV thereby inserting the name of the custodian of the Evacuee Property by simple mutation. D’Souza said that such mutation is not possible, as a custodian, is just a caretaker, and cannot be called as an occupant. “The error can be rectified only if an evacuee claims it. We can replace government’s name from the occupant column provided an evacuee has to file an application demanding to replace it,” he said adding that ‘the issue is a bit complex and just by removing the name it cannot be solved’. However, on the demand of the Leader of Opposition, D’Souza assured that the issue would be solved by December 19, Liberation Day. Earlier, while moving the resolution, Rane pointed out that the people of Mayem have been suffering over the years, to get their rights. He stated that though a law was enacted by the former government pertaining to the evacuee property, it had a clerical error. “The law unfortunately had a clerical error. Someone, added government’s name in the column of the occupants,” he said adding ‘the error needs to be rectified now by adding the name of the custodian of the Evacuee Property’. He said that since government does not own the land, it has to be vested to tenants and mundkars of Mayem, by implementing the tenancy act and the amended mundkar act. Meanwhile, the resolution was objected to by St Andre MLA Vishnu Surya Wagh who stated that the custodian cannot be named as occupant as they do not own the property. He demanded that the resolution be withdrawn and a fresh one be moved. However, Rane stuck to his resolution and sort assurance from the revenue minister. (Herald)