MARGAO
Curtorim Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has dashed off a letter to TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane drawing his attention to what he alleged as an illegal change of zone in the Mutt Hill area at Housing Board in Curtorim constituency.
The MLA pointed out to the Minister his letter to the Member Secretary South Goa Planning & Development Authority (SGPDA) under the subject “Objection to the construction of roads and cutting of hills near Mutt area and making plots on the steep slope in Housing Board of Curtorim Constituency.
He, however, lamented that no action has been taken against the rampant illegality to date.
“I had informed the PDA Member Secretary that plots have been made in the Housing Board near Mutt area at Gogol, Margao on a very steep slope by rampant hill cutting. The activity of making plots in the area will prove to be environmentally destructive in the form of incessant rain and landslides”, Reginaldo feared
The MLA further pointed out that he has received several complaints that the zone of Mutt Hill on the Housing Board side, right from the bottom of the hill to the top has been changed into a settlement zone.
“If true, it’s a very bad precedent, which could lead to the request that the whole hill on all sides to be converted into a settlement zone. For the record, this hill has a steep gradient and has a dense forest cover and is rich in flora and fauna. Mutt hill is the only green cover remaining in the Housing Board area. The strata of land at the bottom of the hill are sponge in nature which helps in the good growth of vegetables and plantation around the Housing Board area,” he added.
While complimenting the TCP Minister for his actions to revert the illegally converted agricultural and natural cover land to the settlement zone back to its original status and to take action against the perpetrators, the Curtorim MLA has requested Rane to look into the matter and revert the changed land zone to its original status and take strict action against those responsible for this illegal act, by which a strong message will be sent across that the Minister really mean business and will not tolerate such type of illegalities.
