MARGAO: Alleging that the TCP authorities have ignored their complaints, the villagers of Sao Jose de Areal on Saturday warned that they would agitate if the allegedly illegal hill cutting at Suroibhat was not halted immediately.
On Saturday, several villagers gathered at the site and voiced their anger against the excavation of the hill, which they claimed was beyond permissible limits. The locals also berated the officials of the Town and Country Planning Department for granting permissions to construct without checking the ground reality.
“We are aware about the issue, but the concerned party has obtained all the permissions and there is nothing illegal on which action can be initiated,” Sandeep Surlekar, DeputyTown Planner, Margao, had told Herald on Friday.
The villagers also warned the contractor of the project not to engage in targeting the panchayat body over the issue. Local resident Freddy Travaso told reporters that the excavation of the hill first started in 2021. However, following the objections of the villagers, the work was stopped.
“Now, they have suddenly commenced with the excavation of the hill again, resulting in the destruction of the environment. We warn the concerned person engaged in doing the hill cutting activities to stop the work immediately or face the heat from the villagers,” he said.
He also said that an important meeting of the villagers will be held to deliberate on the issue, wherein the next course of action will be decided.
“The villagers will not hesitate to call a massive agitation in order to protect the village and its environment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the contractor for the project, Franky Gomes refuted the allegations levelled against him by the panchayat of Sao Jose De Areal, and clarified that he obtained all the necessary permissions for the hill-cutting. “There is nothing illegal happening at the site. The panchayat has no right to stop the work once permission is granted by the TCP Department,” he said. Gomes condemned the interference of the Sarpanch in his project, and said he would in turn file a complaint with the comunidade for allowing the construction of illegal houses in the village. “It is my open challenge to the panchayat body and to the Sarpanch, to take action against all the illegal houses built on comunidade land in the village, if they are against illegalities,” said Gomes.
Meanwhile, the complaint filed by the panchayat against the alleged illegal hill cutting is pending before the South Goa District Collector. Both parties await the collector’s order on the matter.
