Farmers ‘crop’ govt on land acquisition

Vow to join hands and march the streets with spades and sickles

MARGAO, AUG 2
Agitated farmers from across the state under the banner of Goenchea Xetkarancho Ekvott on Sunday demanded that the government stop forthwith acquisition of agricultural land for any purpose and return the acquired land to the people.

At an impressive meeting held at the historic Lohia Maidan, various speakers lambasted the government in general and Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat in particular, holding him and other Ministers responsible for acquiring prime agricultural land under the guise of promoting development.

The farmers vowed to join hands to oppose government’s plan to acquire agricultural land in any part of Goa. Farmers warned that they would be forced to come on the streets with the spade and sickle if the government goes ahead with the Sports city in order to protect the land of their ancestors from being forcefully acquired by the government.

The impressive turn out of the people for the meeting supported by NGOs from across the state conveyed a message loud and clear to the government that they would no longer take things lying down. They resolved to fight tooth and nail thoughtless plans of the Goa government to acquire prime agricultural land for other purposes, primarily for constructions.

Speakers pointed out that it is ironical that the government makes budgetary provision for promotion of agriculture and in the same breath allows blatant conversion of agricultural land. They said that infrastructure like highways, roads should not be carried out by destroying fields. Instead, they called for exploring alternate measures and called for preserving and conserving tenanted land.

Attacking successive governments for making available limited agro land in Goa to a handful of capitalists, the farmers’ body charged the government for using different forms to promote devious and systematic designs to uproot people and render them aliens in their own land.
In a spirited address, President of Priol Shetkar Mandal, Sadanand B Gawde underlined the need for farmers to forge unity at the local level and foil attempts by the capitalists and the government to acquire their farming land. “It’s only when the farmers wake up from slumber, the government will come under pressure to leave the fields untouched”, he added.

Accusing the government of investing crores of rupees in unviable projects such as the Sky Bus metro, he said the same money could have been pumped into agriculture to help farmers continue the traditional occupation.

Richard Rebello came down heavily on the government for acquiring large tracts of prime agricultural land at Madel-Ambaji-Dovondem in recent times by displacing the farming community. He pointed out that the poor farmers have been paid a pittance by the government in lieu of the fields and demanded the return of the land to the owners.

He was highly critical of the Sports Minister, Babu Azgaonkar for pushing the sport city at the cost of the farmers.

Tarajan Desai said that prime agriculture land is being indiscriminately acquired in Cuncolim which has forced a farmer Vishnu Desai to knock the doors of the Supreme Court to seek return of the agriculture land.

The meeting was addressed amongst others by Ida Coutinho, Prakash, Sharad Gude, John D’Costa, Durgadas, Esteve Andrade, Xavier Fernandes, George Fernandes, Adv John Fernandes, Deugim Fernandes, Sheila Naik, Rama Velip, Seby Fernandes, Casiano Furtado and Rodney Almeida.

Representatives of various Non-governmental organizations, including Fr Maverick Fernandes, Soter D’Souza, Sabina Martins, Sidharth Karapurkar were seen seated amongst the audience.

Herald, August 03 2009, Panaji