In protest of the same, the committee members and the villagers held a protest at the temple demanding punishment to the offenders. The Parvat is a heritage zone as per Archaeological survey of India where a large number of trees were cut down, recently. The Saunsthan committee has warned of dragging the government to the National Green Tribunal, if the illegalities are not punished on time. The protesters have also threatened to hold a rasta roko and protest at the TCP office in Margao, if action is not taken soon.
At least 200 trees have been illegally cut and large tracts of land have been illegally excavated at the Chandreshwar (Parvat) mountain in Gudi Paroda.
Following complaints of the temple committee and villagers, the Deputy Collector Ajit Panchwadkar along with forest officials inspected the site and recorded their findings.
When contacted Panchwadkar said, “There is hill cutting seen at the site which is a 5-meter wide road. Accordingly, as a part of further action, the Collectorate has issued a stop work order against one Amarnath Sawant and another person. An inquiry in the illegal conversion of the said land has also been initiated.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Conservator of Forests Anil Shetgaonkar has confirmed that the tree felling had no permissions and they have already booked the owner of the land for the tree felling.
“Not long ago, a land slide had occurred on the Parvat and if the same repeats then the base of the temple peak will come down crashing. This is an eco-sensitive zone and there is no permission for cutting even a plant on this mountain. We wonder how this huge hill cutting went ahead,” wondered Venkatesh Prabhudessai and vowed to “plant thousands of trees on this land if this doesn’t stop.”
A delegation of former committee members has already met Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik over the issue.
