The builders’ lobby is in overdrive to convert land into plots for residential and commercial purposes by destroying the scenic hills and thick forests in the taluka. The destruction is in full-swing by deploying private security gurards.
One can see large-scale destruction of the hills and forests at Kundaim, Curti and Mangueshim and also in other constituencies including Shiroda.
The locals have time and again been raising their voice against such destruction of the beautiful landscape of Ponda taluka; lodged numerous complaints to the authorities; led morcha to government offices, and yet the destruction goes on unabated.
Frustrated, the Veling villagers have, now threatened to take the law into their own hands if the destruction of the hills and forests were not stopped within fifteen days (from October 12). They have also threatened to beat up the ‘goondas’ protecting the illegality and destroy the vehicles operating at hill cutting sites.
Villagers fear that with destruction of hills and forests, they would lose the prime sources of ground water.
Consequently, agricultural activities would suffer.
The villagers allege that the developed residential and commercial plots are bought by migrants and once they settle down in their respective villages, the identity of the villages would be destroyed.
