MARGAO
In an interesting development, the Velim village panchayat has issued a stop-work notice to the Director of Fisheries to immediately stop the ongoing work on the construction wall underway at the fisheries complex at the Cutbona fishing jetty.
The panchayat has also decided to inform the forest department about the alleged cutting of mangroves by the department to make way for the compound wall.
The panchayat action comes following a complaint lodged by a resident of Chinchinim Malcolm Pereira who alleged mangroves had been felled and illegal filling of land was carried out near the jetty.
In his notice, Velim Sarpanch Savio D’Silva has directed the Director of Fisheries to stop the construction work immediately. The notice has further directed the director to produce the relevant NOCs, permissions, licenses issued by the VP, TCP technical clearance, if any, to the panchayat within seven days from the receipt of the notice.
The sarpanch has warned that action as per the Goa Panchayati Raj Act will be initiated against the department.
Incidentally, when The Goan had drawn the attention of the Fisheries Director Dr Shamila Monteiro to the construction work and felling of mangroves, she was casual and said “would check up on the matter with the office.”
