MAPUSA
In the quiet morning hours of Cunchelim, Mapusa, three bulldozers arrived like thunderclouds and tore down what dozens of families had painstakingly built. Their homes – solid, with concrete walls and sturdy roofs – were reduced to rubble in seconds.
Around them, a huge police force stood watch, leaving the affected families no choice but to witness the destruction from a distance, clutching their children and their hopes.
Later in the evening, Mamlatdar Anant Malik reported that 31 houses had been demolished, with plans to take action against the remaining five on Wednesday. He noted that these five homeowners had sought a court intervention.
During the demolition drive in the morning, families stood with children on their hips and tears in their eyes, their life savings scattered in dust and debris.
Their appeals had been ignored, their cries unheard.
These weren’t merely houses; they were the homes that these families had saved for, dreamed of and built with years of hard work.
But in a matter of minutes, they became memories, torn apart by an official order.
Some of the homeowners had received a demolition notice just a week prior. With nowhere else to go, they spent the days rushing to clear out whatever they could: a few belongings, family keepsakes, pieces of their shattered dreams. Even on the day of the demolition, some desperate families raced against the bulldozers to retrieve what remained – the grills from their windows, the roof sheets, anything they could salvage.
Throughout the demolition, officials stood by to ensure there was no interference.
DySP Sandesh Chodankar, Mapusa PI Nikhil Palekar, Anjuna PI Suraj Gawas, and other officers lined the perimeter, making sure order was maintained, while State officials, including Bardez Mamlatdar Anant Malik and the Deputy Collector’s team, carried out the directive.
For these officials, it was a lawful duty. For the families, it was the end of a dream.
While the demolition proceeded, many families pleaded with the authorities, begging for more time.
They explained that they had gone to court to request a stay, but they were stalled by the Diwali vacation.
Their voices fell on deaf ears, lost amid the mechanical roar of the bulldozers that began their work at 10.30 am, one house after another.
“They say our homes are illegal. But for us, these walls, this roof – this is where we put our dreams,” said one resident, her voice breaking as she looked at the ruins of her house.
“I didn’t know I was buying trouble. I thought I was buying my family’s future,” she added.
The story of these homeowners is a tale of misplaced trust.
Most of these families were lured into buying parcels of land by individuals claiming it was legitimate.
Many later found out, too late, that they had been sold government-acquired comunidade land, which couldn’t legally belong to them.
Among those allegedly responsible for the deceit were members of Cunchelim’s comunidade and some councillors of the Mapusa Municipal Council, people whom the buyers had trusted.
And so, unwittingly, these families were caught in a web of false promises and bureaucratic oversight.
For these families, the morning wasn’t just about a demolished house.
It was the day their dreams of stability and security were shattered.
In a town where promises were made and trust misplaced, the displaced people are now left asking who will help them rebuild – not just their homes, but their lives.
