Forest department: Socorro panchayat must act against illegal slum
PANAJI: Government departments acted swiftly and rushed to Maina-Socorro in Bardez on Thursday following a report by TOI that migrants had started erecting a 'pucca' slum in the middle of a private forest.
The forest department also assured locals that it would take action against the culprits for destruction of the trees, but pointed out that it is the job of the Socorro panchayat to demolish the illegal structures erected on the land.
TOI in its edition dated July 3, 2014, published an article Migrants build slum in midst of Socorro p'rivate forest' highlighting that one-room pucca houses have sprouted in the midst of a private forest under survey no. 291/1 after a few days of frantic construction activity.
After observing TOI's visit to the site on Wednesday, the culprits stepped up the pace of their activity and frantically worked overnight.
While on Wednesday, five structures were still under construction, TOI observed on Thursday morning, that five one-room houses were completed, painted with lime and fitted with doors.
The migrants had also planted coconut saplings and banana saplings outside the houses. They then fitted locks on their doors and fled.
Villagers worried about the rapid urbanization of Socorro at the cost of the fast-disappearing verdant cover raised apprehensions that the development in Maina could spawn a Moti Dongor-like slum in Bardez and petitioned government departments concerned for immediate intervention.
Locals feared that such structures may spread illegally over the private forests on the hill in the future.
On Thursday, deputy conservator of forests Milind Karkhanis visited the site along with RFO Panaji Rajendra Fatarpekar and Babi Naik, round forester, Mapusa.
"Survey no. 291 is a private forest area. The neighbouring properties are also private forests. It is a clear violation under the Goa Preservation of Trees Act for which we will take action against the culprits and under the Forest Conservation Act we will be writing to the central government," said Karkhanis.
He further told the gathered, agitated, locals, "We are not empowered to act on the illegal structures and it is up to the Socorro panchayat to demolish them."
Socorro sarpanch Vaishali Satardekar, deputy sarpanch, panchayat secretary and other officials also visited the site and assured the locals that the illegal structures would be demolished.
The director of panchayats and officials of the town and country planning (TCP) department also visited the site on Thursday.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Forest-department-Socorro-panchayat-must-act-against-illegal-slum/articleshow/37754642.cms
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