ST CRUZ: Huge patches of agricultural land in the village of St Cruz are under a siege. Rampant land filling and construction activity on agricultural land has been going on for quite some time in the village.
In some cases, the deputy collector has issued stop order in the land filling activity after processing complaints received through the flying squad. But obviously, the offenders have no fear of the law or the authority and land filling activity continues brazenly and overnight small concrete huts have sprouted in the fields of St Cruz.
As Herald visited the village, rampant illegal land filling was witnessed and a patch of cultivable land along the St Cruz bandh had been filled up recently. Also, another construction was seen on a patch of reclaimed land along the Panjim-St Cruz road.
However, on the same day the flying squad rushed to the St Cruz bandh for inspection after they received complaints from unknown people over the illegal land filling activity in the field with construction and other building material.
“We had received calls from an unknown complainant saying that illegal land filling is taking place on the site. We have already inspected the site and soon we will be finding out information of the owner and then a notice will be issued. This is not the first time that we have received complaints of illegal land filling on the St Cruz bandh,” said the flying squad inspector
Villagers who reside close-by to the spot confirmed that this illegal land filling has been taking place for the last many days and no action is being taken by the panchayat.
“For the last few months this illegal land filling is taking place sometimes at the night too but then suddenly it was stopped. Recently the same thing is being repeated. The panchayat should take legal action against such offenders.” said a resident of St Cruz on the basis of anonymity.
Similarly on the St Cruz-Panjim road, constructions had cropped on a patch on field which was again done through land filling and it was revealed that labourers have been given out spaces on rent. On the other side it was revealed through sources that these labourers defecate in the open.
Meanwhile, St Cruz Sarpanch Mariano De Araujo said, “I was not aware of these illegal land-fillings in our village, my sources informed me about these land-fillings. Also there was no official complaint in the Panchayat about this. Now since I am aware of the land filling, I will issue show cause notice to the owners and appropriate action will be taken.”
