Goa: FIRs lodged in hill-cutting cases at Arpora and Candolim says Forest, Town and Country Planning minister Vishwajit Rane.

PANAJI: A police complaint has been filed for hill-cutting and unauthorised construction activity at Arpora and Candolim, which is in violation of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974, said TCP minister Vishwajit Rane.
Rane said that a complaint had been filed with the forest department and the TCP department regarding illegal hill-cutting at survey 51/8, which falls in the jurisdiction of Candolim village. A similar complaint was filed regarding unauthorised development activity in survey 94/1 Arpora in Calangute constituency.
Rane claimed that an FIR has been registered in both the cases after a detailed investigation was conducted.
“With reference to a complaint received against illegal hill-cutting and construction activity in survey no 51/8 in Calangute falling within the jurisdiction of Candolim village, the team conducted a detailed investigation at the site,” said Rane.
Rane said that illegalities will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against violators who harm the environment.
On May 1, the North Goa planning and development authority (NGPDA) had filed a complaint against leader of opposition Michael Lobo and his wife and Siolim MLA Delilah at Mapusa police station in connection with land-filling at Parra. The next day, an FIR was registered against the duo.
Recently Rane took to Twitter to announce that the scrutiny committee has identified irregularities in the ODPs of Parra-Arpora-Nagoa and Candolim-Calangute. Rane also said that a former NGPDA chairman violated norms by getting their own land converted. Lobo refuted Rane’s allegations and said that Rane is engaging in “vindictive politics” by suspending the ODPs and by pointing fingers at Lobo.
In response, Rane had told the Calangute MLA to stop playing the victim card over the probe.