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Govt orders arrest of persons violating environmental laws

NT Staff Reporter
Panaji, Jan 10 The Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh today directed immediate arrests of the persons involved in illegal activities including violation of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) Act, which are detrimental to the environment of the state.

The decision is a part of an attempt by the state government towards setting up a system to immediately stop all ongoing illegal activities, specially those detrimental to the environment, under which the deputy/ additional collectors and talathis have been asked to seek the police help for the same, and further send a report to the Coastal Zone Management Committee.

Mr Singh, after discussing the environmental issues with the representatives of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, today, told the reporters that incidents like violation of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) Act, illegal hill-cutting and felling of trees, filling up of the low lying areas without permission from the authorities and so on would be immediately stopped, if brought to the notice of the deputy/ additional collectors and talathis, in the respective areas.
The collector (North Goa), additional collectors, the director of CRZ Authority, the commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji and top police officials were also present during the discussion.

“Whatever is illegal has to be stopped,” Mr Singh said, adding “regular inquiries in such matters will take time and hence the authorities, with police protection will stop them.” The Chief Secretary further said that if the persons involved in such activities are not found to possess the necessary documents, the department of town and country planning would immediately file a FIR against the culprits.

Speaking further, Mr Singh who is the chairman of the Coastal Zone Management Committee said that the report from the deputy/ additional collectors and talathis would be studied by the committee and the recommendations accepted, unless the report is found to contain discrepancies.
The convenor of the GBA, Dr Oscar Rebello, later told the media that the Goa Bachao Abhiyan would believe in the assurances only if they are implemented in true spirit.

We have been assured that the deputy/ additional collectors and talathis would file FIRs against all the illegal activities, with the police arresting the concerned persons and attaching the vehicles and machinery involved, he informed.

Dr Rebello further said, “The Chief Secretary maintained that the areas where illegal activities are being carried out would be identified by the collector to the police and it would be mandatory on the police to patrol such areas.” We have also been told that the restoration the areas damaged by illegal activities would be undertaken by methods such as tree planting, etc, he pointed out.

The GBA informed that rampant hill-cutting was taking place at Batim, while hill-cutting and CRZ violations were observed at Siridao, and filling of Khajan lands, destroying of mangroves as well as damage to saltpans were carried out at Goa Velha. It was further informed that filling of River Sal and destruction of mangroves were done at Caramona, in South Goa.

The Goa Bachao Abhiyan pointed out that a new trend had began wherein, instead of cutting of trees in the forest, the forest was burnt down to make way for the land. Reiterating on the GBA’s demand to hold a massive rally at Margao, on January 16, against the Regional Plan 2011, if it is not scrapped by January 15, Dr Rebello said, “The Goa Bachao Abhiyan wants to confine the plan to the dustbin of history.”

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