Regarding the issue of illegal hill and land cutting for Anjuna Nightclub, unidentified wrongdoers have been taking advantage of the diverted attention of both the authorities and the public ” leading to a dangerous situation not just for citizens but also the environment at large. And such illegal activities damaging hills seem to be flourishing by causing damage to the environment. Action should be taken against offenders as per provisions of the law. The callous act of razing hills and land is illegal and a threat to environment and biodiversity and increases the risk of hill slides during the rains. Nobody has the right to cut hills without the permission of the concerned authority. Development needs to be sustainable and it should not be at the cost of nature. Interestingly, it was in 2011 that the Western Ghats ecology experts’ panel, chaired by environmentalist Madhav Gadgil, had set alarm bells ringing over massive hill cutting in the certain places, while warning of manmade disasters. However, the Centre and state governments concerned continue to dodge the Gadgil Committee report for almost a decade.
