In a scathing critique of the current administration, Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Opposition leader Vijai Sardesai has intensified his accusations against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Minister Atanasio Monserrate. Sardesai claims a massive ₹50,000 crore scam involving the land of Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd (ZACL), originally purchased in 1971 from the Sancoale Comunidade for industrial purposes.
Sardesai alleges the government has aided land sharks in converting this land, intended to generate employment for Goans, into commercial and residential properties, thus benefiting the land mafia and outsiders at the expense of the local population. He criticizes the government’s actions, asserting that the development permissions granted for the Zuari Agro land are part of a broader scheme to enrich a select few while marginalizing Goans.
One of Sardesai’s key points is the discrepancy in the land’s valuation. The Zuari factory land was initially purchased at 25 paise per square meter. Now, flats on this land, initially sold at ₹53,000 per square meter, are being sold at ₹1,19,000 per square meter. Sardesai claims this stark increase underscores the ₹50,000 crore scam, suggesting the involvement of the land mafia and the sale of plots to the super-rich, both domestically and internationally.
"This is an anti-Goan move," Sardesai declared, emphasizing that the land intended to create job opportunities for Goans is now being exploited for real estate development. This shift, he argues, serves only the interests of the land mafia and outsiders, depriving the local community of the promised employment benefits.
Sardesai points out that he has raised the Zuari Agro land issue repeatedly in the assembly. Despite numerous promises from CM Sawant to address the concerns, including assurances of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and the withdrawal of illegal development permissions, construction and sales continue unabated. As a matter of fact, in 2021, the forest land in the area was converted for their gains by the then forest minister Pramod Sawant, he said.
Recently, CM Sawant reiterated his promise to withdraw permissions if illegalities were found, stating, "We are awaiting the opinion of the Additional Solicitor General and we will cancel all permissions if illegalities are found after a complete inquiry." However, Sardesai and other critics remain skeptical, viewing this assurance as another in a series of unfulfilled commitments. "The promise of withdrawing permissions this time is also a farce," Sardesai remarked, highlighting the government's consistent failure to take concrete action against the alleged irregularities.