Team Goemkarponn
VELSAO: The South Western Railway (SWR) and the residents of Velsao-Pale-Issorcim engaged in yet another altercation at the Margao court of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR). Olencio Simoes, General Secretary of Goencho Ekvott (GE), said that although SWR had finally submitted its responses to back up its claims of land ownership, they were insufficient and that the residents needed time to respond. This will be done at the next court hearing, which is set for April 15. He went on to say that SWR had provided their responses using the Cadastral Plan, but that the Velsao Cadastral Plan was not included in the records. What was the basis for SWR’s assertions? Furthermore, why wasn’t the Cadastral Plan included in their responses?
According to the Revenue Department’s current regulations, the government departments were allowing the trains to develop, but they were telling the average person to run from pillar to post in order to first demonstrate their property ownership. Olencio bemoaned, “The locals were powerless while the authorities supported the railways.” When residents complain to the police, they point out that rather than listening to their concerns, the officers attempt to have them imprisoned and informally request that they work with the railroads to resolve the long-running conflict. It should be mentioned that the landowners are opposing the SWR’s claims to the land on each side of the tracks.
Mollo residents questioned how the railways got their names listed in the Form 1 and 14 survey ownership documents when the issue was and is still being contested in court, as well as how quickly that work was completed during the height of the railway-local conflict at Mollo.
