In July 2020, the Goa Cabinet cleared a proposal to allocate 10 lakh square metres of land in and around Melauli village under Guleli panchayat in north Goa for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Village residents have used this land for generations to cultivate cashews, which is one of their main sources of income.
In November, the residents started protesting against the move. According to them, the opposition is not just to save their cashew plantations but also to preserve the biodiversity of the region. The Western Ghats, which stretches to areas that are included in the proposed site of the IIT campus, is a natural biosphere containing a very dense forest cover and endangered species of fauna.
In the most recent protests held in January 2021, a land demarcation attempt by Land Survey officials at the IIT project site in Melaulim was disrupted by protesting villagers. They pelted stones at the police, who resorted to lathicharge. At least 12 police personnel were injured in the clash.
This is the third time people have opposed the setting up of an IIT campus in the state. The project was earlier moved out of Loliem and Cortali villages in south Goa following public protests.
Damodar D. Naik, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Goa unit, was quoted in a news report as saying: “Somebody has taken the initiative to make the land fertile for these long years, and for that they deserve compensation, but quality education is also necessary for our nation. Accordingly, someone has to make a sacrifice.”
In November 2020, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was confronted by villagers when he visited the project site. He estimated that some 500-1,000 people would get jobs with the new institute being set up and remained firm in his decision to go ahead with the project.
However, on January 15, 2021, CM Pramod Sawant announced the decision to shift the project to another site. The legislative assembly representative from Sattari, Vishwajeet Rane, who is also the State Health Minister, had requested the CM to shift the project. He had also pled that the cases lodged against protesting villagers be withdrawn. About 40 protestors were booked under the charges of attempt to murder. As of April 2024, the criminal cases have not been dropped. The hearings are ongoing at Valpoi Civil Court.
Legally, the land remains under the ownership of the government. In October 2021, Guleli panch Shashikant Sanvordekar told The Times of India that despite multiple representations to the Chief Minister and other authorities that land was not reverted legally to its “original position” (or original landowners).
Rajesh Gaonkar, an activist who was among those who led the mobilisation, told LCW that under Form I and XIV – a type of legal document used as proof of ownership in Goa – the land belongs to the state government. “If you see documents from the Portuguese period, it was private land and it has the name of the owners. Post Liberation, when land surveys were undertaken, a lot of land got wrongly classified as government land. To correct it now, one would need a succession deed, and that requires birth and death certificates of predecessors. That tends to be difficult to acquire. Now, the issue is a legal matter between the owner and the state.”
According to Shashikant Savordekar, convenor of the Melaulim Gram Panchakroshi Samit, around 11 people -- who have traditionally occupied and cultivated the land -- have signed a petition to the state government to demand legal transfer of land in their name.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Opposition against environmental degradation
Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources
Refusal to give up land for the project
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Forest and Non-Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
Issue of warrants against 4 people and arrest of 1
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project underway despite protests
Original Project Deadline
2023
Whether the Project has been Delayed
No
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
2200
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
2020
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Community's original demands were met
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Forced evictions/dispossession of land
Lack of legal protection over land rights
Violation of free prior informed consent
Violation of environmental laws
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Lathicharge/teargas/pellets
Physical attack
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Yes
Reported Details of the Violation:
Protesters hurled stones, and the police responded with lathicharge. At least 12 police personnel were injured. Some women protesters claimed that an inspector had stamped upon the chest of an elderly woman during the clash.
Date of Violation
January 4, 2021
Location of Violation
Shel-Melaulim village
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Directorate of Settlement and Land Records, Government of Goa
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
N/A
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Melauli Panchkroshi Gram Bachao Andolan (not a registered body but a banner under which protests happened)
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
Issue of warrants against 4 people and arrest of 1
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Aditi is a freelance development researcher. She has a Master’s in Development Studies from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India. She has previously worked with WWF India on forest-based livelihoods and international wildlife trade. She has also worked on the Forest Rights Act in Dangs district in Gujarat. Her paper, “Forest-based livelihoods, Malki practice and Forest Rights Act in Gujarat: The case of Adivasis in the Dangs,” has been published in the book, Adivasis in India: Livelihoods, Resources and Institutions, by Bloomsbury India.
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