Team Herald
PANJIM: In a bid to crack down on large scale environmental violations like illegal land filling and felling of trees, the State government has reconstituted the flying squads of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) by integrating forest department officials.
Flying squads each for North and South Goa are reconstituted via an order dated May 20 by Chief Town Planner James Mathew.
The flying squad, headed by the deputy collector- North and South- will comprise of one surveyor, to be appointed by the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records, draughtsman from TCP dept, representative of forest department, two police constables and one driver.
“It has been observed by the Government that, cutting of sloppy/hilly land or filling of low lying land are often associated with felling of trees and destruction of mangroves, sometimes. As it is necessary to monitor this aspect simultaneously, Government has decided to integrate the Squads of TCP Department and Forest Department in order to monitor all aspects of hill cutting/tree felling and land filling,” the notification reads.
The Flying Squad will be attached to the office of the designated Deputy Collector and it shall be under his control.
The government has directed the department to identify and notify a toll-free number for public to report about illegal cutting and filling of land.
Earlier this month, Minister for TCP and Forest Vishwajit Rane had announced to integrate the flying squads.
