TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
SANGUEM: Having been responsible for the closure of basalt quarrying operations in Uguem, a local activist is now at the receiving end of one quarry operator.
In a recent complaint with the local panchayat, a quarry operator has accused Francisco Carvalho, of illegal conversion of agricultural land to construct a house and also for illegally renting out a portion of it to migrant labourers.
The panchayat has asked Carvalho to submit copies of all relevant documents, including construction licence and the occupancy certificate, issued by the panchayat.
Incidentally, the panchayat had not only issued the construction licence for the farmhouse, but had also issued Carvalho an occupancy certificate to occupy the farmhouse.
“Quarry operators have failed to catch me on the wrong foot and they are now on their way to malign my image by filing false and frivolous complaints,” Carvalho told Herald.
Carvalho has urged panchayat authorities to verify the genuineness of the complaints before resorting to any action.
It may be recalled that Carvalho had single-handedly undertaken a campaign against controversial operations of quarrying operations in Uguem. After all his earlier efforts had failed to yield any results, Carvalho filed a Public Interest Litigation before the High Court which incidentally led to the closure of all basalt quarrying operations in the village.
Moreover, a quarry operator was also directed by the Director of Mines to pay royalty to the tune of over Rs one crore towards the illegal extraction of basalt stones.
