MARGAO
A storm seemed raging along the coastal village of Cavelossim, South Goa’s hub of starred resorts and hotels, as villagers see red over the destruction of eco-sensitive zones including sand dunes, construction of illegal roads in No Development zone (NDZ) et al.
As many as three projects along the sensitive coastline have come under the citizens’ lens, but what has raised fears and anxiety amongst the locals is the number of projects in the pipeline along the coastal belt. Villagers feared that the Mobor area, which is surrounded by the Arabian sea on the west and river Sal in the east and the mouth of river Sal on the south, may be cut off from the main land if projects and roads are allowed in the No Development zone and eco-sensitive zone.
The three projects that have come under the lens of the villagers is the road construction in NDZ at Mobor, the sub-division of plots at Tamborim and the tampering of sand dune at Bhattim-Cavelossim.
With incidents of tampering of sand dunes and destruction of vegetation and trees in properties located in NDZ coming to light at Mobor as well as Cavelossim, local villagers have now called for a gram sabha to discuss the emerging situation and the need to protect the eco-sensitive zones from destroyed by outsiders. They have underscored the need for the local panchayat body to go as per the Regional Plan drawn up with the participation of villagers.
Inspection of road
construction in NDZ
Perhaps for the first time, a TCP team conducted an inspection of the road built in NDZ at Mobor-Cavelossim was inspected by officials of the Town and Country Planning along with Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and local residents on Wednesday morning. Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz, who also made his presence felt had to face a barrage of questions from the MLA and the villagers over the steps initiated by the Panchayat to clear the illegal road and restore the land to its original condition.
Dixon replied to the MLA and villagers by saying the Panchaayt had issued the stop work notice to the property owner in the month of June. When the MLA and villagers sought to know why the road has not been cleared till date, the Sarpanch explained that the issue falls in the domain of the Coastal Zone Regulation agency.
Villagers further pointed out that trees and vegetation standing in the same property, which they claimed is owned by ex-India cricketer Ashish Nehra, was destroyed by fire over a year and half ago, demanding to know what steps the authorities including the panchayat initiated to restore the vegetation and the trees.
Clearance of vegetation on
dune at Bhattim-Cavelossim
Another inspection of a sand dune located at Bhattim-Cavelossim has confirmed the fears of the local residents that the sand dune has been tampered with by the owner. After the inspection, Sarpanch Dixon has assured in the presence of MLA Venzy Veigas that a complaint will be lodged with the Colva police against the persons involved in clearing vegetation from the sand dune. He further said the panchayat would try to find out through the JCB contractor as to who had hired the machine to clear the sand dune.
Pointing out that the tampering of the sand dune is a clear violation of the NDZ norms, local residents have demanded that those involved in the illegal activity are mandated to restore the sand dune to the original position.
Sarpanch Dixon later told the media that the illegal activity at Bhattim ward is a clear case of tampering with the sand dune. In this respect, MLA Venzy has underscored the need for a gram sabha to discuss issues relating to destruction of the environment and eco sensitive zones.
