Farmers protest land aquisitions in Goa

The state of Goa has commenced a number of senseless acquisitions of agricultural lands all over Goa. It is observed that all ongoing government projects have been planned only in Eco-sensitive lands which are also used as agricultural lands by us. The deliberate acquisitions of large Eco-sensitive lands for irreversible change is a lethal assault on our environment , our lives and the future of Goa.

We therefore resolve that no agricultural lands in our villages shall be acquired / allowed to be acquired. If the state government does not stop the ongoing acquisitions, we shall take all necessary measures to protect our motherland.

The Salpem - Tollem Xetkarancho Ekvott had organised a meeting at Rosary School Hall in Navelim to protest acquisition of fields 2,72,000 sq mts.

The PWD is acquiring fields for expansion of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and a buffer zone for STP. Total agricultural land required is 272000 sq.mts. As per common knowledge expansion of STP can be done in their existing land which is more than sufficient and also confirmed by Chief Minister Mr. Digambar Kamat, said Jose Paul Coutinho, he said further that the STP is having capacity of 7.5 MLD and the sewage entering STP is 1.5 MLD, then why acquire land when it is under capacity.


1. George Barreto spoke on forcible land grabbing for Sinquetim bridge.

2. Melwyn Pereira spoke on pollution of Salpem Lake and how the farmers had to stop farming due to pollution, how development of Margao destroyed Salpem lake, is that the real development?

3. Sidharth Karapurkar spoke that land acquisition act 1894 was a British act designed to grab land from Indians for the East India Company, so why is Goa government using this British act to grab land from its own people, they are acting like the British. He also mentioned that the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has written a reply to GXE and Goa government asking the Goa government not to acquire agricultural land.

4. Cruz Rodrigues spoke that Communidade land is thousand years old and that government has no right to acquire it.

5. Claudias Dias from Rawanfond spoke how the government robbed their fields and now they don’t have anything for livelihood and have to depend on petty jobs.

6. Sandeep Kambli from Mopa spoke on how government is acquiring land when there exists a airport in Goa, also Goa being small state it does not require 2 airports, and the government will close Dabolim airport after commencing airport at Mopa. The runway of Dabolim is enough to land A 380 which requires 3200mts length and Dabolim can be expanded to 4000 mts as per google earth images.

Sidharth Karapurkar