Want job prioritisation, self-employment opportunities with KRC
South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes assured the delegation of making a strong case for them.
Photo Credits: The Goan
MARGAO
Konkan Railway land losers on Thursday sought the intervention of South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, seeking priority for the land losers in the commercial premises of the corporation, besides jobs in its rosters.
The MP assured the delegation of land losers to take up their cause for being given priority in jobs and self-employment opportunities in the Konkan Railway. He further assured to write to the Konkan Railway authorities to extend the last date for submitting applications for the 190 vacancies notified by the KRC.
The land losers drew the attention of the MP that it’s now over three decades now since the commissioning of the Konkan Railway line, due to which thousands of Goans have sacrificed their land for very meagre compensation.
In the instant case, they pointed out that the KR is setting up new commercial premises and will fill up jobs. While over 25 shops are under construction on the Navelim side of KRC station at Margao, they said around 190 job vacancies have been notified with October 7 as the last date for submitting applications.
As far as the commercial premises are concerned, the land losers led by Savio Coutinho said some agency is advertising the renting out of these premises. “We learn that some agreement has been executed with an outside state agency, which has been given rights to construct the shops and give them on rent, with some fixed income for the Railways. This is highly objectionable, and we appeal to your good self to inquire into this matter so as not to deprive land losers of their assured rights,” they said.
They added: “All through, these land losers have been hoping against hope that they would get priority, either for jobs in the railways or kiosks at the railway stations. Sadly, none of the two has benefited the land losers in a real sense till today.”
In the absence of proper publicity/advertisements of the self-employment opportunities and job opportunities, Goans in general and land losers in particular remain deprived of these opportunities, they said.
A land loser, Maria Gomes complained that her land was acquired to facilitate the construction of the Railway overbridge but till today she had not received any compensation.
“I have made to run from the Collector's office of the Railways office just to get a copy of the award, but till today I have not been successful in getting the Award copy, and hence I cannot move to the court of law either to seek justice," Gomes said.
Captain Viriato Fernandes said that he will approach the concerned Railway authorities and make a strong case to ensure that land losers and Goan unemployed youth get the rights in lieu of the land they sacrificed for the Konkan Railway project.
