MARGAO
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has said the issue of irregularities, illegalities, encroachments and pollution by various industrial units in Cuncolim Industrial Estate has crossed all limits and the failure of the government to act against the same has resulted in public ire.
Demanding action against a steel unit operating in the industrial estate, the Opposition leader in his letter addressed to the district Collector, South has stated that it is primarily the apathy of the government authorities to timely act against the violators and the go slow approach of the government has encouraged the industrial units to continue with the illegalities.
One of the glaring examples in this context, he said, is of a steel unit, allegedly involved in illegal land cutting & filling of land. “The vast area of tenanted land outside the jurisdiction of Cuncolim Industrial Estate and Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and also the land adjacent to GIDC is illegally developed by various industrial units by violating the norms of Goa Daman & Diu Tenancy Act, Land Revenue Code Act & Municipal Act. The said industrial units involved in illegalities have deliberately flouted all the norms taking the concerned government authorities for granted,” he said.
He added: “Based on a complaint against the illegalities, a Notice vide Reference No. LRC/Illegal-Conv/37/2023/2422 dated 5th October 2023 was issued by the Office of the Deputy Collector & SDO-II, Salcete directing the steel unit and one person to remove the material lying on the site and submit the compliance report at the next hearing fixed on 26th October 2023. The Talathi of Cuncolim has reported that the unit has done illegal land filling and constructed a commercial shed in an area admeasuring 6,000 sq mts.
Saying the district administration is not keen to take stringent action against the said illegalities and is allowing the violators unnecessary time as part of the delaying tactics, Yuri demanded that the district administration should initiate stringent action against the violators under the Land Revenue Code Act. “The district authority is empowered to initiate action by sealing the illegal shed constructed without requisite permission such as “conversion sanad” and a fine should be imposed which is seven times the prevailing rate of conversion as per the Land Revenue Code Act. You may also note that the said land is a tenanted paddy field,” he said.
Further demanding that the administration should initiate action as per the Town & Country Planning Act and Environment Act, he said the Industries, Trade & Commerce Department also needs to act against the violators.
