Mapusa: Upset over alleged encroachment on 3,850 sqm community land, members of the comunidade of Moira, along with villagers, on Monday objected to construction by a private developer. They demanded that work be stopped until demarcation is carried out by the Survey and Land Records Department.
The comunidade also alleged inaction by the authorities despite a written complaint.
Addressing the media, comunidade attorney Joaquim D’Souza, in the presence of Julio D’Souza, panch member Santosh Naik, former MLA Glenn Ticlo and others, alleged that approximately 3,850 sqm of comunidade land had been encroached upon.
He claimed that nearly 20 metres of an existing compound wall had been demolished and part of the land fenced off.
“We attempted to stop the work on three occasions by placing markers, but the developer continued construction. When police were called, they instead asked us to produce documents, despite the comunidade being the rightful owner,” D’Souza said.
The construction is underway on survey number 159/8B in Moira, and locals and comunidade office bearers have alleged that around six metres of their property had been encroached upon.
D’Souza said that complaints had been submitted to multiple authorities, including the panchayat and Deputy Collector, but no action had followed.
The villagers later marched to the panchayat office and questioned sarpanch Sagar Naik over the lack of action.
Naik said that the panchayat had granted a licence for construction only within the developer’s own property and not beyond it.
“Since there was a complaint, we asked for demarcation to verify land,” he said, adding that he would issue a stop-work notice.
Ticlo said that the land has been used as a playground for over 60 years and that the matter would be taken up with the TCP Minister.
