A four-decade old legislation enacted soon after Goa''s liberation from Portuguese rule has now become handy for the state government to save the properties of tribal communities from being robbed by the land grabbers.

State revenue department in its recent circular, copy of which is available with PTI, has asked the officers not to allow sale of land belonging to scheduled tribe (ST) or scheduled caste (SC) community to non-tribal or non-SC buyers.

Goa has been witnessing protests by tribal people under aegis of United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA). These forest dwellers fear extinction of their tradition, culture and livelihood.

They are also demanding implementation of reservation in government jobs. The circular issued by Pandharinath Naik, under secretary (revenue) reads ''the lands which are in the possession of SC and ST are being sold or purchased and transferred to persons who do not hail from these communities.''

The revenue department, which deals with the sale of properties in the state, has acknowledged that such sales to non-tribal buyers have instilled a fear in the minds of these communities leading to dissent.

"They are apprehensive that they may lose their identity, culture, tradition due to influx of the people from outside," the government circular reads.

Goa government has asked its officers to implement the notification issued on August 21, 1978 under Sub Section (2) Section 24 of the Goa Daman and Diu land revenue code, 1968.

The Act was enacted seven years after state was liberated from 450-year-old Portuguese colonial rule. Under the Act, land and properties belonging or occupied by SC or ST communities shall are not to be transferred to non-SC or non-ST except with the previous sanction of the collector of the respective district.

"Even though such a notification has been issued, it has not been adhered in letter and spirit," Naik said.

Revenue officers are asked to conduct thorough inquiry in respect of the land belonging to SC or ST community. Even in case of the land sale, the party (purchaser) should be directed to obtain an NOC from the collector as per the notification.

To monitor the implementation of the recent circular, the government has asked district collectors, deputy collectors and other lower officers to send a consolidated report in connection with the sale of ST or SC land by tenth of every month.