Stop ‘illegal’ hill cutting at Arpora immediately: HC

Panaji: Pointing out that “restoration of the hills that are cut becomes extremely difficult,” the high court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed the flying squad to go to the site at

Arpora

where

illegal

hill

cutting

is allegedly taking place and immediately

stop

the activity in survey numbers 156, 157 and 161.

In addition, the division bench comprising Justices Mahesh Sonak and R N Laddha directed the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) to visit the site and stop the activity if they have not granted any permissions.

The court issued notices to the panchayat of Arpora-Nagoa, the town and country planning department, North Goa district collector and NGPDA.

Advocate general Devidas Pangam told the high court that after the petition the flying squad has been instructed to visit the site and take necessary action.

Goa Foundation represented by counsel Norma Alvares with Om D’Costa stated that it was forced to file a petition in the high court, seeking immediate stoppage of illegal

hill

cutting, after the panchayat, “instead of investigating the complaint and taking necessary action, informed the petitioner that it cannot take any further action until the petitioner identifies by name the persons carrying on the work in question”.

Goa Foundation had complained to the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat on March 31 and attached photographs of the heavy machinery and ongoing work at the site.

Goa Foundation submitted that no development can be carried out in Goa without a board being put up on the plot which displays all permissions obtained for the purpose of development from various authorities as per the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010.

“There is no such board on the premises and the panchayat is duty bound to ensure that without such a board, no development can be carried out by any person concerned,” Goa Foundation submitted to the high court.

The foundation had filed a writ petition for protection of the forest on one side of Baga hill and the present development is being carried out on the other side of the same hill. It stated that the Supreme Court has forbidden and disallowed conversion of such plots with natural vegetation.


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