One booked for massive hill cutting, using gelatin sticks at Talaulim

Team Herald

PONDA: The Ponda police booked one Sarvesh Gaonkar of Wadi-Talaulim Village Panchayat for alleged illegal possession huge amount of gelatin sticks to cut the hill on Comunidade land.

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Offence has been registered under Sections 286 and 336 of IPC, Section 17-A of Goa TCP Act and Section 5 of Explosive Substances Act.

Police have launched a massive manhunt to nab the accused, who is presently absconding.

PI Sajith Pillai is investigating the case under Supervision of Ponda Police Station In-Charge PI Vijaykumar Chodankar and SDPO Ponda DySP Ashish Shirodkar.

According to police, the issue came to light when a team of flying squad of South Goa District along with police came for inspection at a site at Wadi, Talaulim following a tip-off regarding illegal hill cutting at Survey No 30/0 and 34/0, allegedly being carried out by the accused Suresh Gaonkar.

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During the said inspection, one box of 26 gelatine sticks was found. Immediately, Ponda police contacted the bomb squad and dog squad wherein more explosives were found. The police have seized more than 600 gelatine explosive sticks, 30 kg of ammonium nitrate, electric detonators and wires.

The Ponda police have also seized one tipper truck, three earthmovers and digging levers used by the accused for illegal hill cutting. Police have also informed that as per record both the survey numbers belong to the Comunidade. Police have booked accused Sarvesh Gaonkar under relevant Sections of IPC, TCP Act and Explosive Substances Act.

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Locals shocked by seizure of explosives

PONDA: Local residents of Wadi-Talaulim were shocked over massive quantity of explosives seized by police and demanded restoration of the hill, which otherwise could destroy their source of water for irrigation.

Some locals said they were aware of hill cutting since past two months but nobody knew about the massive scale of the destruction that was happening.

The incident came to light after massive explosions started shaking the temple located at the foothill. The hill comprised of rocky terrain, has been almost destroyed by gelatin blasts. Locals heaved a sigh of relief after the police seized the explosives and machinery used for hill cutting.

Environmentalist Sandeep Parkar said government should conduct inquiry into massive quantity of gelatin brought at the site for mass destruction of hills for people with vested interests.

He said the government should issue directions to restore the hill, which could cause adverse impact on local ecology, including destruction of natural spring water source for villagers residing at the foothills.