MARGAO: The Goa (allotment of plots to certain displaced persons) bill that was passed on August 31, 2016 will give relief to 48 families of Navelim-Firgulem “who were toiling hard to enjoy the land on which they were rehabilitated nearly 40 years ago,” Minister for Fisheries Avertano Furtado said on Wednesday.
Addressing media persons and praising the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Furtado said it is for the first time in the history of Goa that an act has been passed wherein land requisitioned by the government has been vested upon the displaced persons by bestowing proprietary rights on them.
He said that though the displaced persons were allotted plots, they did not have any proprietary rights over the said plots and therefore the Goa government has vide the enactment of Goa (allotment of plots to certain displace persons) act 2016 decided to vest upon them the proprietary rights of the said plot.
“Former MLAs Luizinho Faleiro and Churchill Alemao did not pay heed to Firgulem locals. The government of Goa, Daman and Diu in 1964 had requisitioned land admeasuring 35,690 sq mts under Section 29 of the Defence of India act 1962 and later on sub divided the said land and allotted plots to certain persons who were displaced due to acquisition of land for establishment of 3-military training regiment at Salcete.”
The act further states that the government shall pay to the owner to the said land within a period of 180 days from the date of enacting this act, compensation as per the market value of such land as prevailing on the date of making requisition for the said land under the said act.
When contacted, Faleiro said that after he became the MLA, he fought two cases against the government on the behalf of the affected people and won them which helped in bringing several projects including the panchayat ghar, ITI, playground etc.
“The claim of compensation came after the year 2012. It appears that the act will benefit more the owner, who stake claims after 52 years and not the residents,” he added.
Churchill Alemao said he too had provided necessary help to the people as and when they approached him. “Since the matter was in the courts, I could not take a decision,” Alemao maintained.