ROYTS OPPOSE FERTILE LAND ACQUISITION IN FATRADE

Dozens of affected farmers under the banner of Goenche Xetkarancho Ekvott (GXE) on Wednesday gathered at Fatrade to voice their resentment to the recent acquisition of fertile, waterlogged paddy fields to construct a football ground for a school, which the farmers said, did not even exist.

The farmers vowed to unite against the project and indicated that they would not allow the proposed project to come up. GXE general secretary, Paulo Fernandes, demanded that the state revoke the order and return the land to the farmers immediately.
Fernandes explained, "Over 16,500 sq m of fertile paddy fields, which are being cultivated for ages, have been acquired. The land is naturally irrigated by fresh water bodies and is a low-lying area, about 1 km from the High Tide Line." He further said that the land is adjacent to a main flood water drain serving not only the village of Varca, but also the coastal stretch from Benaulim to Cavelossim.
"Additionally, these fields are a large retention pond which forms a crucial part of the ancient floodwater management system of Salcete taluka. These are highly eco-sensitive coastal wetlands, which must be conserved at all costs for the general ecological wellbeing of the village," said Fernandes.
Pointing to the social impact, he said that the fields are the sole means of sustenance to 17 families. "The villages of Fatrade, Varca and Benaulim are dependent on the said floodwater drain for drainage, and on the low-lying fields for retention, and therefore the said acquisition carries the danger of floods that will endanger residents lives in the future," he said.