PANJIM: The Calangute Constituency Forum has demanded immediate action against rampant hill cutting at Naika Vaddo, Calangute even as the local village panchayat has issued a show cause notice to the property owner as to why the construction licence issued to him should not be revoked.
The Forum has feared that the massive hill cutting could cause soil erosion, landslides, loss of biodiversity and destruction of natural water resources. The Forum has served legal notices to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, NGPDA, North Goa Collector, Bardez Deputy Collector, Calangute police station and the Calangute Village Panchayat.
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Earlier, following a complaint by the Superior General of Handmaids of Christ, Calangute, sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, panchayat secretary Arjun Velip and Superior General Sr Faria Barretto and other Sisters along with the property owners conducted a site inspection on March 19, and found that there was three metres hill cutting in survey number 26/3, situated near the Calangute Police Station, without obtaining prior permission from the panchayat.
Later, the panchayat received a representation from the Calangute Constituency Forum asking the panchayat to stop the ongoing construction immediately. The panchayat immediately issued a notice to M/s Lini Hotels and Resorts asking them to stop the ongoing construction activity and later in its meeting held on March 28, decided to issue a show cause notice to them to stop hill cutting and as to why the construction licence issued to them dated July 14, 2023 be not revoked. The show cause notice was issued on March 30, 2024, and the property owner had been asked to stop the ongoing work within seven days from the receipt of the notice.
As per the plan approved, 1.5 metres hill cutting was permitted at a certain point. However, three metres hill cutting was carried out in survey number 26/3, situated adjacent to the Old Aged Home-Mother Mary Haven. But it was observed that three metres hill cutting was carried out without obtaining prior permission from the village panchayat and other concerned authorities.
