PANJIM: A day after Herald exposed the hill cutting activity at Virnoda village, the district administration swung into action. The Office of the District Collector, North has asked the Pernem police to inquire into the matter and take action as per the law.
It has also informed that the district flying squad had issued a show cause notice cum stop work order on November 22, a copy of which was marked to the local police to maintain a strict vigil. The flying squad on December 1 once again inspected the survey number 73/0 of Virnoda village and found that the excavation was being carried out without the permission from the Town & Country Planning Department.
Herald in its Friday edition had reported about a huge hill cutting exercise at Virnoda right under the nose of the authorities. Locals allege that truckloads of mud worth several lakhs have already been excavated in the name of construction of NH17. They further alleged that the excavated mud is illegally diverted towards Par-Dhargal in Pernem to fill khazan land and fill river bank of Chapora River.
Herald enquiries further revealed that since the area of Par-Dhargal is an island, the mud is transported by trucks via Katurli of Tuem village.
Villagers alleged that survey number 177, which is illegally filled with mud, was a very fertile khazan land and thousands of mangrove trees in and around this island which were cut have been set on fire to destroy the proof of their existence. Locals informed, in land of survey number 178, nachni (millets) and pulses like kulith, ‘harsande’, etc were grown. The elevated land had many coconut, mango, jackfruit, cocum, jambul, etc trees, which are cut to ground and plots are made. Besides, there were natural springs and water resources, which have vanished due to this development. Hill cutting was done for more than three years to make commercial plots on the island of Par-Dhargal.
