Team Herald
PONDA: Khandepar locals on Friday objected to the ongoing land filling in a low lying area at Kerya-Khandepar alongside the bank of a nullah.
Locals demanded immediate action from the concerned authorities against the Margao-based construction company to save Khandepar village from flooding in the monsoon.
A local, Rocky Dias has filed a complaint with the Curti-Khandepar Panchayat and the concerned authorities.
He said, “Based on my complaint the panchayat had inspected the site. However, strict action is needed to be taken by the local body and Town and Country Planning Department considering the flood-like situation that occurs in the monsoon.”
In this connection, the South Goa District Deputy Collector has issued the stop work order.
In its show cause-cum-stop work order notice, the Deputy Collector pointed out that no board was installed at the site displaying the permission from the TCP nor any document of permission was made available at the site and thus it is a violation of TCP Act and therefore directed to stop the work.
Complainant Dias said, “Huge retaining wall is constructed alongside the nullah and land filling is done on the low lying area, which is in violation of the TCP laws and this land filling will invite flooding in the monsoon and may cause damages to the houses and destroy bagayats. This nullah culminates in Khandepar River.”
He said, “In 2021, several houses were flooded due to flooding of the Khandepar River.”
“The authorities need to stop the rising activities of land filling on the bank of Khandepar River to prevent flooding of houses located in the nearby villages,” he added.
“Land filling activities should not be encouraged anywhere on the bank of Khandepar River as it is vulnerable to flood-like situation in the monsoon causing devastating effect, as last time, many houses had collapsed at Khandepar after flooding,” Dias claimed.
