Concerns over illegal hill cutting in Raia have escalated after an inspection conducted by the Raia village panchayat along with local residents revealed several irregular ities at two sites in the vil lage. The inspection, held on Friday, was attended by panchayat members and a large number of villagers, who demanded that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department stop is suing permissions for hill cutting to preserve the vil lage’s natural beauty and ecological balance. The inspection followed a special gram sabha held a day earlier, where villagers and panch members had raised serious concerns over alleged unauthorised hill cutting in the area. During the site visit, it was observed that hill cutting was being carried out and in several instances with out the proper permissions. Villagers expressed shock over the TCP’s handling of these incidents. “As noticed during the inspection, hill cutting has been conducted without permissions. TCP per missions were given only for road construction, not for the entire area,” stat ed Amrit Sakhalkar, Raia panchayat secretary. He further informed that the panchayat has now de cided to conduct a joint in spection with TCP officials. Local leader Anthony Bar bosa emphasised the com munity’s commitment to environmental protection. “The panchayat has al ready passed resolutions to safeguard the environment, but it is shocking to see ongoing destruction in the village. We have previously raised this issue with the Chief Minister and were as sured that action would be taken,” he said. Barbosa also urged MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco to take the matter serious ly and warned of attempts to convert no-settlement zones into settlement areas in Raia. Panchayat member Xa vier Fernandes highlighted the ecological significance of the affected area, de scribing it as a leopard and animal corridor. “There are several spe cies of animals in this re gion. Authorities must stop the conversion of these zones. Hills are hills — they cannot be turned into a concrete jungle. Shock ingly, work is continuing even though the area’s con version has not been ap proved,” Fernandes said. Raia Sarpanch Jacinta Dias was also present dur ing the inspection. Villagers attending the inspection expressed determination to protect the natural environ ment and demanded that authorities take immediate and strict action against illegal hill cutting. They warned that failure to en force regulations could lead to irreversible ecological damage, affecting wildlife, water resources, and the overall landscape of Raia.
Raia Residents and Panchayat Raise Alarm Over Illegal Hill Cutting, Demand Immediate Action
