Former HC CJ Rebello urges guv to discuss farm land bill

Margao: Retired Allahabad HC chief justice Ferdino Rebello, on Saturday, demanded that the governor reconvene the Goa legislative assembly within 15-20 days to discuss the private member’s bill seeking protection of the state’s agricultural lands. He warned that people would take to the streets if govt failed to act.

Addressing a public meeting of the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign at Sanguem, Rebello said the assembly was prorogued on the pretext of the Ponda bypoll, but with the bypoll itself now cancelled by the high court, there was no justification for the delay.

He said the ‘Goa Protection of Agricultural Lands Act, 2026’ — drafted by the movement — was submitted to the chief minister, presidents of all political parties and MLAs, and that opposition parties tabled it in the assembly. He alleged that the session was cut short to spare govt the embarrassment of having to publicly state its position on the bill.

“Govt feared the embarrassment that would be caused, and therefore curtailed the session,” he said.

Rebello said that the bill would halt the destruction of Goa’s lakes, hills, forests and fields. He called on citizens to be prepared to agitate at Azad Maidan until the legislation was enacted.