Amidst land scam claims, Zuari Agro seeks fast-track nod from CMO for conversion

Panaji: Amidst allegations of a land scam, Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd (ZACL) has written to chief minister Pramod Sawant demanding fast-track approval for change of zone of the land that was handed over to the fertilizer firm for industrial purposes.
Zuari Agro has also demanded “strictest disciplinary action” against the administrator of South zone comunidades, describing him as an “incompetent officer” for stalling the conversion of land from industrial use to commercial and settlement.
ZACL, which acquired the land from the Sancoale comunidade in 1971 for a nominal amount, aims to create smaller plots and use the land for residential homes and commercial projects with the property price touching Rs 20,000 per sqm.
“This incompetent officer who does not want to take any kind of responsibility, and who is also not fit to be in a position to serve the public, is only creating revenue loss for the state as well as loss for the image of the state,” ZACL general manager Anand Rajadhyaksha said.
Five-hundred hectares of land was acquired from the Sancoale communidade and subsequently bought by ZACL in 1971 at 20 paise per sqm for the purpose of setting up the fertiliser industry. According to government officials, the deed of lease and deed of conveyance signed between ZACL and the Sancoale comunidade, the company was given the land on the condition of using it for the fertiliser project wherein 30% jobs would be given to locals of Goan origin.
After undergoing a slump sale, ZACL has begun to systematically sell off the land with some suggesting that the sale could be valued at several hundred crores, thus needing a probe.
ZACL applied for conversion sanad for the land that bears survey no 188/1A in Sancoale village. The then additional collector II asked for certain clarifications regarding the conveyance deed and also requested information from the south zone administrator of comunidades. The administrator has in turn sought information from the comunidade. This has irked the ZACL management.