The four-year legal battle over the illegal cutting of a hill at Arpora has ended with the Bombay High Court at Goa recording that the hill has been restored to a stable condition. The case, P.I.L. W.P. No. 20/2022 — Goa Foundation v. Village Panchayat of Arpora-Nagoa & Ors. — began after the Goa Foundation received a citizen's complaint regarding hill-cutting and development activity at Arpora. Whilst we must appreciate the effort of the citizen and Goa Foundation, the main concern is the total failure of Arpora village panchayat to act initially on the complaint and also the Goa government administration which talks big on action and punishments/fines against hill cutting but in reality no official action is taken unless the courts intervene. My request is that for such cases, the judiciary should also severely punish/fine the Arpora panchas as well as the negligent TCP officials as clearly the CM's office, the Panchayat and TCP ministry appear to be suspiciously looking the other way.
ARWIN MESQUITA, Colva
