Team Herald
MARGAO: Massive illegal constructions atop the hill and in no development zone (NDZ) at Vagulem, Curtorim have irked the villagers and forced the village panchayat to issue a stop work notice to the concerned land developer.
Speaking to the media persons, several villagers expressed anger and even alleged that the government authorities are involved in the illegal constructions by destroying the hill.
J Santano Rodrigues said, “The locals have noticed a major destruction of the hilly area.
A huge structure, besides a retaining wall, is under construction in the Survey No 448 of Curtorim. It looks like this was going on for the last many days and people were totally unaware of it”.
Villagers have accused the panchayat and Town and Country Planning Authority for not keeping eye on such activities, leading to major destruction to the environment.
“It seems that the said illegal construction was
carried out by keeping the villagers in the dark. How can the government grant permissions for such activities causing destruction to the environment. TCP or the panchayat should have taken action, if no permission was taken by the land developer,” a villager demanded.
The villagers said the beauty of Curtorim will be destroyed by allowing such constructions and that too by cutting the hill. They have demanded stern action against the land developer.
However, on Tuesday Curtorim sarpanch Milagres Rodrigues issued a stop work notice to the concerned party and said the panchayat has not given any permission to the land developer.
“It has been brought to the notice by the concerned ward member that illegal constructions have been carried out at Vagulem, Curtorim without obtaining prior permission from the office as per rules,” the sarpanch said.
He directed the land developer and others involved in the matter to stop the alleged illegal construction immediately and to produce the relevant documents to the panchayat office within five days, failing which the panchayat will take action as per rules.
