MAPUSA
Complaints of illegal landfilling have become a regular affair in the State. But that’s not our story. The story is that the authorities who are supposed to take action against illegal landfilling have failed the conscientious citizens in the State.
The Zuva Khazan Tenants Association has been fighting with its back to the wall for almost two years trying to convince the concerned authorities in Bardez to take action against illegal landfilling of low-lying comunidade fields in Aldona.
So far they have not been successful.
The Chairman of the Zuva Khazan Tenants Association, Sandeep Shirodkar had complained against illegal landfilling of low-lying fields belonging to the comunidade of Boa Esperenca, Aldona.
He said the landfilling has been causing a lot of hardship to other members of the tenants association who have fields adjoining the property.
Shirodkar along with other executive members have made a number of representations against the illegal landfilling to the local panchayat, the mamlatdar and deputy collector of Bardez and even the TCP department but has failed to impress the authorities.
“People who are involved in the illegality have been filling the low-lying fields with mud and planting trees in the property. We have given written complaints to various departments but so far have failed to get any relief. The mamlatdar directs us to approach the deputy collector, the deputy collector, in turn, tells us to write to the TCP while the TCP directs us to take up the matter with the agriculture department. No action is forthcoming. We are only being kicked around from one department to another,” Shirodkar lamented, while relating his story to The Goan.
He said on one occasion the mud dumped in the field was removed in the direction of the deputy collector but the culprits have dumped the mud again.
Other farmers who cultivate fields cannot take the machinery into their fields due to the fencing and tree plantation carried out by alleged offenders involved in landfilling.
According to Savio Fernandes, a member of the tenant association the khazan land should be used only for paddy cultivation and not to plant coconut and other fruit-bearing trees.
“Neither the Zuva Khazan Tenants Association nor the Boa Esperenca comuidade has issued any permission for filing of the low-lying areas. We have been unsuccessfully knocking the doors of the government departments,” Fernandes said.
Aldona-based activist, Oldrin Pereira informed that as per a High Court order no one can reclaim low-lying areas.
“Instead of taking action against those involved in the landfilling, the concerned authorities turn a blind eye against the illegalities,” Pereira said.
