One-Man Commission came, took commission and went; grabbed land was not reverted: Vijai

PORVORIM: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday remarked that the One-Man Commission which was appointed by the government to probe land grabbing, took “commission” and went.

He referenced a television programme, on August 29, 2022, in which Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was on record and had assured to revert the land usurped and sold by land grabbers, to their rightful owners.

Sawant had stated that he had appointed a One-Man Commission to revert the land to genuine owners. He had said that the genuine owner, along with their legal documents, should directly visit the Commission’s office, prove that they are legal owners and then, the land will be reverted to them.

The brief to the Commission was to identify the lacunae in the department procedures. The Commission had no meaning as it only submitted the reports, and the land could not be reverted to the rightful owners, he recalled.

Referring to the famous quote by Roman Emperor Julius Ceaser who said, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), Sardesai remarked that in a similar manner, the One-Man Commission came, took “commission” and went. “Nothing happened and land could not be reverted. Of the 93 complaints referred, only 22 FIR were registered,” he said.

“I want to know from the Chief Minister, what did the One-Man Commission do? How many people got justice?” asked Sardesai.

Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral too pointed out that if the owners are required to approach the Court, then what was the use of constituting the SIT? Why should the original owners suffer? he asked.

Cabral further told the House that in two cases, the land was reverted to its original owners.

Special Court for land grabbing cases: CM

 However, he added that no time-frame can be specified; the court will be constituted after all the cases are charge sheeted by the Special Investigation team

PORVORIM: The State government has started the process of designating a special District and Sessions Court to hear the cases related to land grabbing reported in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

However, Sawant said that time-frame cannot be specified, to declare fake deeds of sale as null and void because the Registration (Goa Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Bill no 10 of 2022), was awaiting the assent of the President of India.

Replying to a starred question tabled by Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral regarding the status of the report submitted by One-Man Commission on land grabbing, Sawant said that the government had accepted the report and 17 suggestions/recommendations given by the Commission would be implemented.

These suggestions are mainly for seven departments viz. Department of Archives and Archaeology, Revenue Department, Registration Department, Department of Law, Department of Personnel, Department of Information Technology and Police Department. Implementations of the recommendations are presently 

under process. The report will also be tabled during the ongoing Assembly session.

Sawant said that the designated Court will be constituted after all the cases are charge sheeted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).