Protecting Parsi property

Substantial community properties worth crores of rupees in small towns and rural areas where there are few Parsis, or even no Parsis left, are already or almost lost to the community through encroachment, lack of updated records, etc. The Federation of the Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI) faces an uphill task in safeguarding them from further encroachments from the land mafia, slum lords, and builders’ lobby with the help of local anjumans.

Encroachments in Rajkot

The functioning of the Defunct Anjumans Committee (DAC) is transparent and all the Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees who are also members of the DAC are fully aware of its manner of functioning. Unfortunately, privileged and confidential information is being leaked to individuals who then use it to twist facts about conditions that are really prevalent at site in order to stir up community sentiments. Community activism is just a facade and their real intent is to derail the work done by FPZAI. In small towns, the properties lying unused and unattended are open to encroachment as there are no Parsis living there. The community is thus losing its properties by way of unauthorized encroachment by the land mafia.
The FPZAI is committed to protecting community properties and the interests of individual Parsis at the anjuman level throughout India for which the office bearers are putting in their sweat and toil.
I would urge the critics to leave the confines of their homes and travel to all the places where precious community properties are located, confront the encroachers and members of the land mafia, attend hearings before the competent authorities and show the community that they truly care not merely by their words, but also by their deeds.
SAM CHOTHIA
Chief Executive Officer, DAC, FPZAI,
Valsad
sam_stc@yahoo.com