Illegal land reclamation being carried out in Paroda

QUEPEM: Despite a complaint to Paroda panchayat and an inspection by flying squad, an illegal land reclamation in the flood prone zone area on the banks of Kushawati river is being carried out in full swing, sources said.
Dilip Vasant Hegde, a resident of Avedem, and an NGO had complained to Paroda panchayat regarding the illegal land filling by a Rajasthani businessman.For the last two months land filling is in full swing.
Hegde on Monday complained to flying squad regarding the illegal land filling. A flying squad team arrived at the site and instructed the owner Rafik Khan not to fill up the low lying area. But, the owner challenged the flying squad officials and the complainant in front of the media stating that he will continue land filling come what may.
Paroda panchayat had notified its intention to declare this area as flood prone zone in 2010 and sent a communication to Salcete BDO apprising him about it.
Hegde, in his complaint to the panchayat and town and country planning department, stated that this area is on the banks of Kushawati river and is a low lying area, adding that it gets flooded upto a height of around two to three meters during monsoon season. As this area is low lying and is adjacent to the Quepem-Margao road, the PWD had constructed a concrete retaining wall of around 2.5 meters height, stated Hedge.
The flying squad team informed TOI that they will submit a report to the deputy collector for further action.
Ajit Panchwadkar, deputy collector, incharge of the flying squad, has given instructions to flying squad officials to file an FIR against the Rajasthani owner and directed them to confiscate the machinery used for land filling.
Earlier, an FIR was lodged against the same owner by TCP draftsman Francisco Rodrigues at Quepem police station for illegally filling low lying land from the low level without obtaining permission from the town and country planning department. But a senior town planner had submitted his report to Quepem police that no offence is made out under Section 17/A of TCP Act. As per his submission, Quepem police closed the case and sent it to JMFC for final order.
Hegde informed that the senior town planner had seen that the said area came under flood prone zone and blindly gave a clean chit to the owner.
Bailon Mascarenhas, resident of Quepem, stated that it cannot be accepted that the complaint made by Francisco Rodrigues, planning draftsman grade-II of Town and Country planning was in bad taste when he is fully aware of TCP acts and the area filled is more than 3 mtrs which can be verified by any person at any time.
By overruling the complaint of Rodrigues, the senior town planner has discouraged and degraded their own officer thereby making it easy for law breakers to carryout land filling which is carried out rampantly all over Goa, Mascarenhas said adding that he will file complaints with all concerned authorities shortly.