PANAJI: During the last three years, a total of 196 cases have been registered in connection with illegal hill cutting and filling of low-lying areas, said Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who also holds the portfolio of Town and Country Planning, in a written reply to a question raised by MLA Kiran Kandolkar during the ongoing assembly session.
The Minister further informed that the government has appointed ‘Flying Squad’ 24×7 to monitor and take action on all such cases of alleged hill cutting and filling of low-lying areas.
“The flying squad headed by Deputy Collector of the respective district attends to all such cases and issues notices to stop work. After the stop work order is issued by the flying squads, the department inspects the site and verifies the violations, if any, of Section 17-A of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974,” the Minister said in the reply.
The Minister informed that the department thereafter proceeds to file first information report (FIR) in case of violations. Once the police completes the investigation and seeks sanction order for prosecution, the officers not below the rank of Senior Town Planners, issue the sanction for prosecution as per their delegated powers.
The Minister further informed that the case comes for trial thereafter and complainants/witnesses and sometimes the sanctioning authority are examined. It is left to the Court at law to decide on the punishments.