No comunidade funds for HC case: Administrator

Margao: The administrator of comunidades, south zone, has denied permission to the Margao and Aquem comunidades to use comunidade funds for challenging in the Bombay high court the recently passed legislation that legalises encroachments on comunidade lands.The two comunidades wrote to the administrator of comunidades for approval to utilise comunidade funds to legally contest the amendment in the Code of Comunidades for regularisation of unauthorised construction on comunidade lands, which they argue severely undermines the interests of the comunidades. Each comunidade submitted cheques of Rs 15,000 to the administrator for counter-signature in favour of their legal counsel.Comunidade members expressed their determination to proceed with the legal challenge despite the rejection of permission for utilising comunidade funds for the purpose. “We are still going ahead with the filing of the writ petition against the new laws using personal funds,” they told reporters.The rejection has drawn sharp criticism from Celestino Noronha, the attorney representing both Margao and Aquem comunidades.

“The administrator of comunidades should have in fact supported the comunidade bodies in protecting their interests,” he said. “It is only because of such indifferent attitude of such govt officers to the interests of the comunidades that illegal encroachers are getting encouraged at the administrative level.

All the same, we are moving the high court using our personal funds.”The legislation, passed by the assembly on Aug 8, permits regularisation of unauthorised houses constructed before Feb 28, 2014, on comunidade land, provided applicants can demonstrate “continuous and peaceful occupation for at least 12 years”. The Margao and Aquem comunidades passed resolutions highlighting their concerns that the amendment poses grave prejudice to comunidade interests and traditional land rights.