NGT: No response from Siridao p’yat on khazan filling

Panaji: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), in an order, stated that no official has appeared from the office of the deputy collector and sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Tiswadi, nor the secretary of the Siridao-Palem panchayat, despite notices served by the tribunal.
The notices were served for illegal land filling of khazan lands and construction on this land in Siridao.
In May, NGT had formed a joint committee with officials from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and North Goa collectorate to inspect and submit a report on alleged illegal land filling of khazan lands in Siridao. NGT had directed the committee to submit the report within four weeks and the report confirmed that a structure stands on the land.
NGT gave the directions after being approached by an NGO. The tribunal was told by the applicant that documents obtained under RTI from GCZMA show that the survey numbers fall within khazan land and waterbodies as per CZMP-2011.
“The structures standing on the aforesaid survey numbers are of a permanent nature. The legality of the same needed to be verified because, at the time of inspection, the premises were locked and hence, the same could not be measured,” the applicant had told the tribunal.
The tribunal has ordered the joint committee’s report to be circulated amongst authorities and sought a response from the deputy collector and SDO as well as the secretary of Siridao-Palem panchayat. The tribunal has ordered the circulation of the joint committee’s report amongst the authorities.