PANAJI
The Revolutionary Goan Party (RGP) supremo Manoj Parab on Friday demanded that the government bring in an amendment to the 1974 Town and Country Planning Act Section 17B to fix accountability on the concerned acting officers and to increase the punishment for crimes like illegal filling of land and hill cutting.
At a media conference, Parab also demanded an app connected to the central registry to report complaints about the illegal filling of land and hill cutting.
"Hill cutting and filling of land are the main issues in Goa. The hills and farms are getting destroyed and the government has just overlooked it," said Parab.
"Amendment in TCP Act section 17B is needed so that accountability is fixed on officers like Taluka TCP officer, Police Inspector of Jurisdiction, Mamlatdar, Village Panchayat Secretary, Talathi, Chief Officer, Municipal Engineer, PDA Member Secretary, PDA in-charge," said Parab.
The law must be amended so that the illegal structure should be removed within 15 days of the complaint, demanded Parab, adding that action should be taken irrespective of whether the complaint is written or verbal.
Speaking on the present Act, Parab said that though there is a provision of a one-year jail term and Rs 10,000 fine for illegal hill cutting and filling of land, such illegalities are occuring unabated.
Parab took a swipe at TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane stating that if he is really serious about taking action on illegalities he should bring the amendment soon.
"In the next assembly, we will move the amendments. Before that, Vishwajit Rane has to make amendments," said Parab.
Parab criticised the government for not taking action against violators. "If the government is serious about illegalities, it should tell how many people have been punished under this section of the law? How many violators have been fined? Which officers were held accountable? The Act is just for namesake," said Parab.
"It is our duty to save the beauty of Goa. Officers should be made accountable," said Parab.
Parab demanded dedicated vehicles for taking action against illegal landfilling and hill cutting.
"Like Pink force vehicles, the government should have dedicated vehicles for checking illegal filling of land and hill cutting," said Parab.
Parab appealed to people not to destroy agricultural land by filling it. "After embarking filling of land, the shops constructed are being rented to migrants," said Parab.
