the goan I network
MAPUSA
Mapusa Police on Thursday stopped an alleged illegal hill cutting activity in Sirsaim after it was discovered that excavation work was being carried out on the hills of Sirsaim village. Deputy Collector, incharge of the flying squad, on December 18 had directed those involved in the hill cutting activity to produce necessary licenses/permissions in the office.
“The flying squad team inspected the site on December 16 and reported that illegal massive hill cutting in Sirsaim village and the activity appears to have caused violations of provision of section 17-A of the TCP Act 1974 and other regulations,” said Amir Parab, Dy Collector.
The deputy collector also directed those responsible for the activity to be present before the deputy town planner for a hearing or else an FIR would be lodged against them. In the meanwhile, the deputy collector in his order had also asked the police to keep a strict vigil in the area and ensure that no hill cutting or land filling takes place in the area.
Surprisingly, on Thursday, hill cutting activity was taking place at a rapid pace despite the deputy collector’s order.
Sirsaim Sarpanch Anand Tembkar along with Manoj Parab of Goencho Avaaz and the youth of Tivim approached Mapusa Police and with the help of a police team stopped the hill cutting work at around 1.30 pm.
Police seized the excavator and also arrested the driver operating the machine at the site. “We Goencho Avaaz along with the Sirsaim panchayat and the villagers will not allow our beautiful village to get destroyed because of such illegal work. We demand the necessary action to be taken on the owner of the land for illegal activities in the village,” said Parab of Goencho Avaaz.
When contacted, the deputy town planner, Mapusa, Sandip Surlakar, said the owner had produced some documents in the collector’s office and a copy was also inwarded in Mapusa office.
“Unless we verify the documents and give the owner a green signal, he cannot start work at the site,” Surlakar told The Goan.
