The land filling epidemic has been spreading fast and furiously across the state. From large scale land filling of agricultural land along the coastal village of Calangute, to the fields on either side of the Parra-Saligao, Parra-Arpora, Verla-Canca roads and even in the village of Siolim, land filling activity continues brazenly with commercial enterprises/shops sprouting up almost overnight upon these little patches of land. Not surprisingly, most local self-governing bodies when contacted either claim ignorance in the matter or play the blame game. In the Verla Canca case, panchayat secretary Keshav Phadte claimed that it was the responsibility of the talathi to take action against illegalities, if any. But most talathis act only when the local panchayat informs them about an illegality. It’s a vicious cycle in which the common man ends up getting jerked around. Either that or the authorities are obviously turning a blind eye, even though illegal land filling is a cognizable offence under Section 17-A of the Town & Country Planning Act. Something to gain, perhaps?
It is high time all unauthorised land filling comes to an immediate stop. The concerned authorities must stop feigning ignorance in the matter, wake up from their slumber and take up their responsibilities seriously. Action must also be taken to restore the land in question, sooner than later.
