Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa’s contentious land conversion practices have suffered a major legal setback, with both the Supreme Court and the High Court delivering rulings against alleged corrupt land dealings. Congress leader Girish Chodankar has accused a senior minister of orchestrating a massive scam, alleging that crores in bribes were collected to manipulate land classification.
In a strongly worded tweet, Chodankar claimed that landowners paid over ₹1,000 per square meter to have their properties removed from private forest classifications and converted into zones open for development. However, with the Supreme Court halting the sale of private forests and the High Court striking down the controversial Section 17(2) land conversion policy, the alleged scam has hit a dead end.
The Supreme Court’s decision effectively prevents large tracts of private forest land from being sold, ensuring they remain protected. The High Court’s verdict on Section 17(2) invalidates a key mechanism that allegedly allowed discretionary land conversions, reinforcing environmental safeguards.
Despite these rulings, Chodankar warned that the minister is planning to challenge the High Court decision—using taxpayer money—to protect those who had allegedly paid bribes. “This is shameful! He must be sacked immediately! Goa cannot afford ministers who sell our land for personal gain,” Chodankar stated.
