Samir Bhat
Curchorem
Residents of Kalay
village in Sanguem taluka have alleged that government aframento land located within the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary is being illegally sold after being divided into plots by persons claiming ownership of the property. They have sought an inquiry into the matter.
The allegations were made by Laxmikant Kuttikar and others in a memorandum submitted
to the Chief Secretary
and the Kushavati district collector.
According to the memorandum, the land falls under Survey Nos. 149/1, 152/2, 153/1, 156/1 and
156/2 of Kalay.
As per the memorandum, around 130 people are residing on the property of which some families have lived there since the Portuguese era, some settled after Liberation, and others have been residing there since 1975.
It alleges that the latest Form I & XIV records show Juvenal Torres and others as owners instead of the Goa government and further states that older records had shown them as lessees of the property.
The residents also stated that Torres was neither from Kalay nor from South Goa, but from Palmar
Vaddo, St Estevam.
According to the memorandum, Torres’ heirs are presently selling plots carved out of the property.
The residents also expressed doubts that the alleged illegal sale was being carried out with the support of government authorities concerned.
The memorandum states that the villagers have occupied the land by constructing residential houses and carrying out cultivation on their
respective plots.
It further alleges that some plots have already been sold through registered sale deeds, while other transactions are in progress, and that mutations in respect of some plots have already
been completed.
‘The Navhind Times’ possesses a sale deed copy of one of the plots.
The memorandum has sought a halt to the registration of sale deeds and cancellation of the mutations already carried out.
According to inquiries, Kuttikar had received a notice in 1994 from the Court of the Deputy Collector, Quepem, stating that the land under Survey No. 156/1 of Kalay village was government land and that he had encroached upon a portion of it for the construction of a house.
