Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Goemche Gaunkary has pleaded with Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to safeguard the community’s lands and to prevent any legislation from being passed by the legislative assembly that would legalize structures that are not legally there.
Remedious Fernandes, the organization’s president, and other members declared that the government does not have the authority to enact laws relating to the long-standing institution known as comunidades, either in the upcoming assembly session or in subsequent ones.
He was pleased to hear the Revenue Minister clarify that the community land is not owned by the government. He was making reference to a media report that stated the government would not be introducing legislation to legalize illegal structures.
According to him, the government has not responded to complaints about illegal structures on community properties, and community bodies are fighting against the illegalities committed over the years. Furthermore, he noted that no community has the authority to regularize or approve illegal structures on community land.
Goemche Gaunkary insisted on assigning postings to competent and effective officials to handle community affairs. “Lands owned by Comunidade shall be protected. These belong to Goan Gaunkaris, the wealth of future generations, and are not to be sold. The representation stated that landless migrants could not receive this land.
