St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar has complained to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department about the massive hill cutting at Curca which he claims to have been undergoing in a No Development Zone (NDZ).
In this connection, MLA Borkar met the Chief Town Planner James Mathew and demanded that the permission for the project be revoked and the land restored to its original state.
Later speaking to reporters, MLA Borkar said that the hill cutting has been going on for a while now and the area is an NDZ.
“Surprisingly though, the TCP has converted the area where the project has been approved into a settlement zone. This appears to have been done specifically to favour the developer of the project,” Borkar alleged and demanded that the TCP revoke the permissions for the project and restore the land to its original state.
“I have urged that an inspection of the project be conducted to verify the facts,” Borkar further added and demanded for a thorough probe into how the permissions were granted for the project despite the same coming under NDZ.
When questioned whether the TCP will revoke its permissions granted, Borkar opined that it has to be the case as the hill cutting is undertaken in NDZ where such activity is not permissible.
“If though, the TCP does not act then it will show that the government of the day is hand in gloves with the promoters of the project,” he added while questioning how a settlement zone is marked in NDZ.
“The TCP department is granting approvals without cross-checking facts and then when complaints are made, the TCP washes its hands off by stating that approvals have been granted,” the MLA chided.
Project approved during last term: Curca dy sarpanch
OLD GOA: Even as the massive hill cutting in Curca has come under the eye of the storm, the panchayat authorities informed that the approvals for the same were granted during the last term.
When The Goan contacted Deputy Sarpanch Vinesh Adpaikar, he informed that the project was approved during the earlier term.
“I do not have any idea about the project,” he informed.
The Goan then contacted a couple of panchas from the previous term who informed that the project was approved more than two years back.
“The said project was stayed on one occasion when complaint was received that there was no permission for hill cutting. Later, the developer got the hill cutting permission and the project was cleared by the higher authorities,” a panch informed.
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