PANAJI:
A complaint pertaining to large-scale hill cutting in Valpem-Virnoda, a cognizable criminal offence under Town and Country Planning rules, has landed on the table of North Goa Collector Levinson Martins.
Hundreds of truck-loads of mud has already been excavated on the pretext of national highway construction and the mud is being illegally diverted to the Par-Dhargal island to fill khazan land and the banks of Chapora river, the 10-page complaint alleges.
Virnoda resident J D Parab who has filed the complaint also alleges that rampant hill-cutting is in progress at several locations in Valpem-Virnoda, Dhargalim and surrounding areas of Pernem taluka on the pretext of requirements for earth works related to the construction of NH-17.
More than half the mud and stones excavated in these hill cutting operations, however, are being illegally sold privately for filling khazan lands and the Chapora river bank at Par Dhargal, Parab adds.
He said, plots are made for commercial sale at Valpe, Virnoda after the hill cutting. He has also attached a series of newspaper reports of December 2017, exposing the illegally khazan land filling at Par-Dhargal.
Parab said, following these newspaper reports, the Pernem mamlatdar had investigated the area and filed a case in the Deputy Collector's court against one Tarak Mangesh Arolkar, the developer. The complaint alleges that the land development work, including piling, continues till date in the area.
The complaint says the trucks transport the mud via Katurli of Tuem village through an illegally constructed road since the area of Par-Dhargal is an island.
Parab also alleges in his complaint that the development is being carried out for a proposed off-shore casino and to build an illegal jetty.
"The jetty is being planned for boat cruising into the Arabian sea via Arabo-Camurlim-Siolim," Parab said.
Parab's complaint states that the Par-Dhargal island is rich in biodiversity and is a habitat for a wide variety of wild animals and birds and home to several natural springs and water sources which have vanished due to the illegal development works.
The complaint seeks an inspection of the entire island and action prescribed by law, including restoration of the island to its original condition.
