VASCO, NOV 30
The South Goa Flying Squad on Monday stopped an illegal filling of an agriculture land at Pazentar-Cortalim following a complaint from a resident in the area.
The South Goa Flying Squad has directed the violator to lift the mud, as truck loads of mud were dumped to fill the agricultural land in blatant violation of Goa Town and Country Planning Act 1974.
However, the effort of the violator to fill the land came to a grinding halt when an alert resident of Pazentar intimated the Flying Squad.
According to residents of Pazentar, it was steady an approach of the violator to fill the entire agriculture land and subsequently utilise it for commercial or residential purpose, as earlier some people had adopted similar tactics to fill the uncultivable agricultural land in Cortalim.
Speaking to media, Cortalim Sarpanch Anthony Miranda said after a resident of the area complained, the flying squad stopped the illegal activity and panchayat has verbally instructed the accused to stop filling since he did not obtain any permission.
“The land is not cultivated for the last few years and according to the information gathered by me, dumping mud was carried out to extend the existing small road to attach it to the small dam in the uncultivable land,” he said.
“Filling of agricultural land in Cortalim is nothing, as earlier people had meticulously filled their agriculture lands and utilised it for residential and commercial purposes,” said Miranda.
Villagers have apprehension that with filling, other adjacent agricultural land would also get affected during the monsoon.
“As per the Goa TCP Act 1974 Section 17-A, filling of low-lying and agricultural land is prohibited without obtaining prior written permission of the Chief Town Planner,” said Mormugao Deputy Collector Levinson Martins.
An offence under this section shall be cognizable and Section 17A shall be punishable with a simple imprisonment for a period which may extend up to one year or a fine which may not be less than Rs 1 lakh or both.
