Goa: Jennifer Monserrate stays order upholding river dept claim to prime land

PANAJI: Revenue minister Jennifer Monserrate has stayed an order by the deputy collector that upheld the river navigation department’s ownership of a plot of land in Dona Paula that has been subject of a four decade-long tussle.
On June 24, the deputy collector had rejected the Goa yachting association’s (GYA) claim on the land, which is approximately 250 sq m.
Now, the river navigation department (RND) has turned to the advocate general for legal opinion regarding Monserrate’s stand. Government sources said that Monserrate’s action has resulted in “allowing government property to be utilised by a private party” for financial gain.
After the order in June, the GYA appealed to Monserrate, seeking a review of the case.
On August 25, Monserrate said that the verdict was “against the principles of natural justice” as the SDM had “not decided the case on merits”.
Monserrate’s order has perplexed government officials, who are wondering why the state government is not keen on recovering prime government property from the GYA, which has been using the land “illegally for commercial purposes”.
A note put up to the AG’s office has said that the advocate general “should decide whether the decision of the revenue minister staying the order of the deputy collector of conforming the title of RND without giving an opportunity to RND is illegal”.
The tussle for the prime land is yet another example where one government department is not protecting another government department’s interests, said a government official.
Interestingly, RTI documents show that in a note on July 29, Monserrate had warned that the proposed Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill could prompt those occupying government land to claim right over the properties.
The GYA claims that the land was handed over by the Indian Navy in August 1974, and that the plot has been used for sailing since 1974. In 1989, the deputy collector’s office decided that the title of the land vests with the RND. Documents show that the case has been shuttling between the revenue department and river navigation department.