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Dovondem farmers to intensify stir against land acquisition
BY HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, FEB 7 â Affected farmers from the Dovondem-Ambaji area at the entrance to Margao city are bracing up to intensify their ongoing battle against what they term as the forceful acquisition of their farming land by the government in the name of development.
If farmers from Ambaji have given a call to unite and fight till the government scrap farming land acquisitions, the farming community from neighbouring Dovondem appear equally determined to ensure the government return the agricultural land back to them.
In fact, farmers, from the Ambaji-Dovondem belt has been agitated over the rampant and indiscriminate acquisition of farming land. First, it was the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) that acquired 1.35 lakh sq mts of low-lying agricultural fields, followed by acquisition of a big chunk of agricultural land by the Education department for a city school.
And, if this was not enough, the government recently put for acquisition around 40,000 sq mts of agricultural land for the district hospital for South Goa, which has met with stiff opposition from the farming community.
Herald understands the government has already notified section 4 for acquisition of thousands of sq mts of land at Ambaji for a district Collectorate building.
What has brought the farming community on the streets is the recent decision by SUDA to invite Expression of Interest to set up a massive project spread across the 1.35 lakh sq mts of acquired land and the construction activity by private parties on bandhs and fields.
âAll along, the farmers demanded return of acquired land for cultivation. Instead, SUDA has plans to hand over the land for big buildersâ, remarked Savio Dias.
Another farmer said land acquired by the Tourism deparment 15 years ago is lying unutilised without any activity.
Meanwhile, farmers from Ambaji led by Simon Miranda has urged all farmers to unite at the Lohia Maidan on February 9 at 3.30 pm and voice their protest against acquisition of agricultural land and return the land back to the farming community.
