Flying squad without wings, chide activists
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 14
The North Goa Flying Squad constituted to check into filling of low-lying areas and hill-cutting at short notice, yet again, failed to make an appearance to inspect the filling of mangroves bordering the city limits prompting activists to question whether the squad had its wings clipped.
John Philip Pereira of Village Groups of Goa informed press persons assembled at the Heera Petrol Pump before for a site visit he had submitted a letter informing the authorities concerned to send their officials to see for themselves the clandestine filling of mangrove areas.
Pereira said he had informed the North Goa Flying Squad, Corporation of the City of Panjim, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Deputy Collector Tiswadi and Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority. A letter was in-warded to these authorities much in advance on September 9, he mentioned.
He said North Goa Deputy Collector Francis Ferrao, who heads the flying squad wasn’t cooperative. Ferrao told me he never received our letter and my call today morning was too short a notice for him to depute the squad, Pereira stated.
Pereira said, “When reminded the squad was constituted to act at short notice, Ferrao told me he was busy with other things. Again when I told him there was administrative failure in not receiving the letter, he told me we could do whatever we wanted.”
When Pereira contacted GCZMA Member Secretary Michael D’Souza, he was told the staff strength at the said office was weak on account of Ganesh festivities. Michael asked me to submit the details of our inspection, he stated.
After a call to his office Deputy Collector, Tiswadi, Sabaji Shetye deputed talathi Sapresh Verenkar. Verenkar was seen for just five minutes at one of the locations where illegal filling has taken place. He was never seen again.
The North Goa Planning and Development Authority deputed two planning engineers Shaikh Ali and Prakash Kurtarkar. Both said they will check permissions, if any, were given for the activity. We will depute our building inspector Chopdekar for further inspection. The inspector, however, is on Ganesh leave and expected to join duty on Monday.
Corporation of the City of Panjim engineer Sachin Ambe was also seen during the visit.
