Team Herald
MARGAO: Town and Country Planning (TCP), Margao office issued a show cause notice to the owner of a bungalow in cnnection with alleged illegal hill cutting activity at Curtorim.
Sandeep Surlekar, Deputy Town Planner, said his office issued a show cause notice to the owner of the bungalow on Wednesday, and has been asked to reply to the notice within seven days.
It is pertinent to note that Herald had published the news item on June 3 with the headine ‘Curtorim loses its historical hill to illegal construction’. Thereafter, TCP had assured to act against the illegalities, mostly pertaining to the alleged rampant illegal hill cutting at the historically important ‘Furam Dongor’ in survey number 448, Curtorim constituency.
Herald ground report revealed that the housing complex was being built without taking necessary permission from the local panchayat. Not only trees have been felled, but also a temporary road has been built till the top of the hill.
Thereafter, upon the inputs from the villagers TCP team had inspected the site and had confirmed that illegal hill cutting had taken place leading to destruction to the environment.
The locals have claimed that this hilly area is inhabited by some of the big mamals such as leopards, wild boars, pangolins and porcupines. Hence any reclamation of land would lead to deforestation will pose threat to wildlife too.
“Show cause notice has been issued to the concerned person, who had applied for a technical clearance to build a big bungalow in the survey number 448 at Curtorim. He has been asked to reply within seven days,” said TCP officials.
In the notice it has been categorically mentioned that TCP have found rampant illegal hill cutting for the constructing the huge bungalow, which has caused substantial damage to the environment.
Villagers of Curtorim expressed satisfaction, but at the same time they have demanded strict action against the violator.
“This episode should not end with the show cause notice, but action should be taken against the person, who had caused destruction to the environment. The technical clearance given to the bungalow should be revoked,” demanded J. Santano Rodrigues.
