MAPUSA
Locals in Socorro are a demoralized lot. Despite repeated oral and written complaints against what they allege was illegal hill-cutting activity and felling of trees in the village, authorities have failed to take action and kept passing the buck.
The hill cutting ostensibly for road widening has been going on along the road from Soccorro church to Carrem since February 20.
According to some alert citizens the hill-cutting was taken up without proper approvals and no mandatory display board with the list of approvals at the site.
Citizens under the banner of United Porvorim Citizens Forum (UPCF) complained to the police about the activity and even petitioned the flying squad.
Despite the presence of heavy earth moving machinery at the site, the flying squad which visited the site submitted a report that there was no hill-cutting but just clearing of shrubs and bushes. The report also said that there was permission for hill cutting and NOC for road widening.
The report, however, said that no display board with approvals was erected at the site.
“Massive hill-cutting is being carried out in violation of Section 17 (A) of TCP Act, 1974 while trees are being cut without the permission of the forest department,” said Wilbur Ticlo, President of the UPCF.
He said the flying squad gave a false report on the first day apparently under political pressure and further added that despite several calls to the flying squad on subsequent days their plea fell on deaf ears.
Surprisingly, Deputy Town Planner, Mapusa on February 14 gave NOC for hill cutting to Socorro panchayat based on a circular issued by Chief Town Planner dated August 25, 2011, which said PWD or any government agency carrying out road construction works involving cutting or filling will not need TCP’s additional permission.
Based on the TCP’s NOC the panchayat gave a go ahead to the contractor for widening of the road.
“Since the survey numbers of the site “ 233/1 and 234/1 “ have not been mentioned on the Deputy Town Planner’s letter and the panchayat’s NOC, it clearly shows that the permission is dubious,” Ticlo said.
The UPCF president said that all the revenue officials were under political pressure and refused to take action on the issue.
When contacted North Goa Collector, Nila Mohanan said that she was not aware of any complaints about illegal hill-cutting in Socorro.
“No. I am not aware of any such complaints. The flying squad will be aware of the same,” Mohanan told The Goan.
Attempts to contact deputy collector and flying squad in charge, Sheru Shirodkar were unsuccessful as her mobile was switched off.
Attempts to contact TCP officials were also unsuccessful.
