MARGAO: Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao has urged the government to act against encroachments on the Cuncolim Industrial Estate and adjacent Sociedade land, claiming certain industrial units are attempting to unlawfully seize the land.
In a letter to Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane, Alemao, also Opposition leader, expressed concerns over unauthorised constructions, including makeshift sheds and pits.
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Alemao highlighted that Sociedade land, traditionally protected for Gaunkars and Cuncolikars, is reportedly being exploited by industrial units disregarding legal boundaries.
“It’s alarming to see makeshift structures and pits being constructed for unlawful purposes,” he wrote.
Recalling a past incident where a 30-metre deep well was allegedly dug on Sociedade land near the industrial estate to source water for fish processing, Alemao noted it was restored to its original state only after local activists, including Aviraj Desai, raised complaints. “Why do officials
wait for local complaints to act? Concerned departments have the authority to inspect these sites and enforce action, yet they hesitate.”
Alemao added that some units use the land for dumping waste, creating an environmental nuisance and depriving the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) of potential revenue.
