Sarpanch, panchas halt hill-cutting work at Sao Jose de Areal, file complaint with TCP Dept

Team Herald

MARGAO: Taking serious note of the potential destruction of the environment, the Village Panchayat of Sao Jose De Areal on Friday stopped a team of workers from carrying out allegedly illegal hill cutting in the Suroibhatt locality and demanded that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department check on the construction activities being carried out at the site. 

The Panchayat has claimed that the developer of the concerned project has violated the norms of the TCP by cutting into the hill beyond permissible limits. 

Acting upon a complaint from the villagers of Suroibhatt ward, Sarpanch Joyci Dias along with local panch member Gabrial Olivera and other panchas rushed to the site. 

Later, a flying squad of the TCP Department was called to the site and the ongoing work was stopped immediately. 

“We found that the concerned person was engaged in hill cutting beyond the norms laid down by the TCP Department. The concerned person had permission from the TCP to excavate the land but we were shocked to notice that the workers have violated the limits,” said Sarpanch Joyci Dias. 

She added that the panchayat has issued an order to stop the ongoing hill cutting and has written to the TCP to verify the same. 

“The Panchayat has also filed an official complaint against the ongoing works before the TCP Department. The gross destruction of the hill at the site can be seen clearly,” said the Sarpanch. 

Local panch member Gabrial Olivera took the lead on Friday to stop the allegedly illegal hill cutting. Several villagers from the ward have also expressed anger over the indiscriminate construction and excavation, and urged the panchayat to take the matter seriously.