War veterans and war widows of the 1971 War are paying a price for a gift that was meant to be priceless. After having fought Pakistan in 1971, gallantry award winners who between them were granted around 18 acres of land in Wadgaon Sheri in recognition for their service and sacrifice for the country, find themselves battling encroachments, 37 years hence.

With no help forthcoming from the district collector in this regard, the war veterans have dashed off a letter to the President asking for permission to sell off the land.

A full-fledged vegetable market stands on the plot that was given to Major General Ian Cardozo, Lt Col P B Vartak and Brig Jog. Cardozo, who lost a hand and a leg during the war is currently the Chairman of the Rehabilitation Council of India.

In July 2007, when a mob comprising local politicians and villagers broke the fences of six plots, around 60 of the war veterans formed the Vir Sainik Association to defend against the encroachments. An FIR was filed at the Yerwada police station against former NCP politicians Maruti and Devidas Galande and Popat Rao Mullick.

Bhikoba Galande, the father of Devidas Galande said they were willing to welcome the Army people, but the livelihood of the local villagers should also be taken into consideration. “Many of the army people have leased their plots to builders who have constructed big compound walls. True, the land belongs to the war veterans but we cant accept that builders are allowed access the land, while we as the local inhabitants of the area, aren’t,” said Galande

However, district collector Prabhakar Deshmukh has another take on the matter. “We have made an exception in their case and overlooked the prescribed rules, as they are war veterans. If the land had belonged to civilians, the government would have taken it back if no houses had been constructed in the three-year period given to them,” said Deshmukh.

“The Government is not responsible for safeguarding the land. The Army personnel were given the time to construct the houses, and when they failed to do so, the encroachments increased. The need factor should decide that whether a plot of land should be allowed to remain vacant for years or it should be allotted to local population of the area for a useful purpose,” said Deshmukh.