Team Herald

MARGAO: A joint site inspection of a field at Colva that was filled with mud and over which a road has allegedly been constructed was held by the officials of the Town and Country Planning department, State Biodiversity Board and Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and on Wednesday. 

According to the applicants to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), land filling was done even after an order prohibiting the same was passed by the Tribunal. 

The inspection was held in compliance of the order of NGT to ascertain the dimensions of original bund/pathway of paddy fields at Navovaddo, Sernabatim, Colva and restoration of sand dunes. 

The joint site inspection was held in order to plan restoration of sand dunes and to examine the illegal construction of road admeasuring 1 km in length which has been done by dumping of mud across low lying agricultural paddy fields in CRZ area. 

“The farmers whose land has been filled have claimed that they have never signed on the land transfer documents. Now, all the findings of the inspection will be noted and action will be taken. The plan of restoration will also be made now,” said Judith Almeida of Colva Civic and Consumer Forum.