OLD GOA
Massive environmental destruction was observed at Morombi-O-Pequeno in Merces where land filling of khazan was done on a large scale along with other unauthorised activities.
The same was observed when Morombi-O-Pequeno comunidade attorney Jose Carmin Joao along with a local Michael Dias visited the site on Tuesday.
Apart from land filling, a scrapyard was also found in operation, rooms were built for labourers along with destruction of mangroves and dumping of garbage.
Construction debris was also found dumped along with the road tar.
On complaint of Dias, a Flying Squad visited the area and conducted the panchanama.
Incidentally, the land filling was noticed on Monday night by Morombi-O-Pequeno tenants association member Cipriano Joao who along with Jose Carmin Joao and Michael Dias then called the Old Goa police, who attached a truck involved in land filling.
Ironically, though, in the Form I & XIV, the name of the tenant has been recorded as Kombantaride Abdulla.
Speaking to The Goan, communidade attorney Joao informed that the Morombi-O-Pequeno communidade doesn’t have any tenant by that name and informed that the committee will inquire into the matter on how Abdulla became the tenant of the field.
Joao further informed that complaint would be lodged with the Administrator of Communidades, Chief Secretary, North Goa Collector, TCP department, and other authorities concerned for strict action in the matter.
When questioned whether a complaint would be lodged with SIT (land grab) as it appears to be a fit case since the tenant is a non-member, Joao stated that he would seek advice of the other members of the committee as well as the legal advisor in the matter.
On the other hand, Dias informed that he would complain with the Environment Department, Forest Department as well as take up the issue with the Biodiversity Management Committee of the village as he is the chairman.
When questioned on the person behind the massive destruction, Dias informed that the labourers have informed that it is being done by someone named John, who apparently was also involved in similar massive destruction at Morombi-O-Grande, where he was asked to stop the activity after a complaint from Revolutionary Goans leader Ajay Kholkar.
