Metal gate at Mandur tenanted land kicks row

Panaji: In an alleged attempt at grabbing tenanted comunidade land in a green patch of a forest area at Mandur, unidentified workers have erected a metal gate after razing a gadga wall at the site.Following a complaint by the tenant, Ramkrishna Naik of Neura, alleging trespass into his property, Azossim-Mandur panchayat has issued a stop work order and showcause notice to an unidentified person.The brazen activity to erect the gate in Naik’s tenanted property created a buzz in the area and St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar visited the spot with govt officials.“Naik is a tenant in this property belonging to Mandur comunidade. There was a fire here and trees had been cut two years ago.” Borkar said. He suspected it to be a land-grabbing attempt. He said the security staff at the site had no proper identity cards.Activist Ramrao Wagh, who also visited the spot, said that this activity may be a part of a bigger plan. “The erection of a metal gate could be to make plots and change the land use to settlement,” he said.The panchayat has directed the unidentified person to produce construction permissions and other approvals within a specified period.