MARGAO
As the storm over the land development at the Panzorconne hillock further intensified on Monday with Cuncolkars descending on the civic building demanding action, the Cuncolim Municipal Council issued an order to the developer in the evening with a direction to immediately stop all work at the site.
Chief Officer Violet Gomes issued the stop work order cum show cause notice on the land developer after a site inspection by civic officials reported that development work is in progress at the site in contravention of the provisions of the clearance issued by the Town and Country Planning Authority and in violation of the provision permission issued by the civic body dated April 20.
While directing the developer to stop work forthwith, Chief Officer directed the developer to show cause with documentary evidence if any, as to why the NOC shall not be revoked under the Goa Municipalities Act 1968. Further, the notice also directs the developer to appear before the Chief Officer on July 27 at 11 am to present his say in person or through a pleader.
The Chief Officer’s action comes after her office received a set of complaints on Monday from the villagers of Cuncolim represented by Vijay Prubhand others, another complaint from Peoples of Cuncollm represented by Kabir Moraes, Dr Jorson Fernandes and others and Vishwasrao Ulhas Dessai in respect of the land development at the Cancanamoddi hillock.
The action also comes against the backdrop of a group of people, including local MLA Clafacio Dias, Dr Jorson Fernandes, Mario Moraes, Altinho Gomes, besides Cuncolim Municipal Councilors meeting Chief Officer Violet Gomes to demand immediate stoppage of the ongoing work at the Cancanamodi hillock.
While the Chief Officer maintained that the TCP had given technical clearance for the work before the civic body had issued the NOC, Dr Jorson and others claimed that the ongoing work is underway in violation of the NOC conditions. When the delegation questioned the CMC Junior Engineer, whether he had verified the work including breaking of huge black metal boulders, the JE said the conditions mandate the developer to seek permission from the authorities, including the mines department before commencement of the work.
MLA Clafacio requested the Chief Officer to act fast by obtaining a report from the technical section and by issuing the stop work order. “I had brought it to the notice of the Cuncolim police a couple of months ago when the work was in progress. The Cuncolim municipality ought to have followed up the matter and checked whether the conditions were complied or not, but in vain. Since they did not taken action, the people of Cuncolim have now come out to protest over the development”, he said, while demanding to know how the CMC has given the NOC without seeking nod of the Water Resources Development and the National Highways.
Dr Jorson told the media that people of Cuncolim, irrespective of their political affiliations, have come together to get the work stopped.
Locals fear destruction of biodiversity
if the developer is not stopped now
Heavy earthmoving machinery at the Cancanamoddi hillock on Monday morning. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO: Local residents of Cuncolim claimed that the area where the land is being developed at the Cancanamodi hillock at Panzorconne plays host to ground water aquifers, fearing that the biodiversity of the area will be destroyed if the developer is allowed to go ahead with the ongoing work.
Locals have further pointed out that the Cancanamoddi hillock is part of the Chandreshwar hill range, extending from Paroda to Cancanamoddi-Cuncolimand Durga-Chinchinim, thriving on wildlife with a good count of leopards.
They recalled that private vehicles normally line up along the NH-66 near the hillock for washing of the vehicles anytime of the year because of the presence of water via the aquifers.
Local activist Ronnie Dias pointed out that the no one has the right to destroy the ground water aquifers. “Water from ground aquifers flow into the rivulet at Uskiniarik before finding its way into River Sal. We cannot allow these ground water aquifers to be destroyed at the hillock. This should stop immediately. Agencies such as the State Bio-diversity Board and Water Resources department should step in to stop further destruction”, Ronnie demanded.
Cuncolim-based Dr Jorson Fernandes echoed similar sentiments. “How can anyone come and destroy the ground water aquifers, which is a source of water supply to the area. It is surprising that the Cuncolim Municipality did not take note of the presence of ground water aquifers in the area and reported the matter to the Water Resources Department”, Dr Jorson said.
He further demanded to know how the PWD, National Highway have given clearance for land development right along the highway, when officials insist on setbacks along the highway.
Says Convenor of Citizens for Democracy Elvis Gomes: “The pristine nature of the place was set to be a thing of the past due to the ongoing work of flattening of the hill that is facing the present NH that leads to Cuncolim bazar area. Even if the development was legally permissible, the government should stop it and compensate the owner after taking over the land in view of strategic role the hill range played in regulating the weather in the area.
We have fond memories of this hill which we used to climb regularly during our summer vacations. Large volume of water also flows downstream into the ‘uskini bandh’ which will get affected. Any disturbance to the ecology of the area will have long term impact on ground water as well as surface water”, he warned.
