Fixes land demarcation on Dec 20; minister holds meet with railway officials at Margao, exudes confidence in resolving imbroglio within 30 days
MARGAO
Taking cognisance of the uproar at Velsao over the double tracking work in the village, the government has fixed demarcation of the land in question, with Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira exuding confidence of resolving the row within 30 days.
Accepting a brief entrusted to him by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Environment Minister had a meeting with senior Railways officials, including Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) senior official D C Sahoo at the South Goa district Collectorate to study the issue and work out solutions.
Sequeira later told the media that the Railways were supposed to comply with certain process, but was not followed. “We have come to know that the mutation of the acquired property by the Railways was done just in the last few days. Next will be the updation of the survey and partition of the land acquired by the Railways and the balance land remaining in the possession of the landowners. Once this is done, it will be clear what has been acquired by the Railways and the balance land in the possession of the landowners,” he said.
In this respect, the Environment Minister said a demarcation has been fixed on December 20 and will continue till December 21. “I can assure you that the issue can be resolved within 30 days. The proposed demarcation will give clarity on the land ownership by the South Western Railway and the local people,” he said.
He added: After the Chief Minister asked me to find out how best we can resolve the issue raised by the villagers of Velsao, I have proposed to sit with the parties. If there is still an issue, we can discuss it across the table and get it resolved. We had similar issues at Majorda and Utorda in my constituency, which has been resolved. I can assure you, the issues at Velsao will be resolved to the satisfaction of the people.”
Meanwhile, the Environment Minister, from minority-dominated Salcete taluka in the BJP-led dispensation headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, has expressed his satisfaction over the functioning of his weekly darbar. “We come across new people from all walks of life at the weekly darbar. If we were not able to resolve the public issues, people would not have come for the darbar. Credit goes to the officers for supporting me in addressing the issues of the common man,” he said.
He added: “As a team, we are definitely resolving public issues. There are some issues which fall beyond our scope. We advise the people and try to give them the solutions.”
Christian delegation meets minister, seeks burial ground
MARGAO: A delegation representing a Christian denomination on Friday called on Minister for Law and Justice, Aleixo Sequeira with a plea to provide them burial ground in Goa.
The delegation called on the Minister at the Friday Darbar in the South Goa district Collectorate on Friday morning, drawing the government’s attention to the plight of the community on the burial grounds.
After giving the delegation a patient hearing, Sequeira assured to convey their sentiments to the government. “Since I happen to head the committee on the burial grounds, we will try and find a solution to the issue of burial grounds, cremation, etc which the people are facing at the moment,” Sequeira added.
