Goa Government Pledges Stricter Penalties to Curb Hill Cutting Activities

The Goa government has not granted permission for hill cutting in the past six months and is looking to raise fines for illegal activities up to Rs 1 crore. New regulations, including soil stabilization reports, will be introduced, and local officials have been directed to take strict action against such violations.

The Goa government has taken a firm stand against illegal hill cutting, announcing that no permissions have been granted for such activities in the past six months. Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane revealed plans to amend existing regulations, significantly increasing the fines for violations to up to Rs 1 crore.

Rane stressed that the TCP Department is committed to curbing illegal hill cutting and that local officials, including deputy collectors and talathis, have been instructed to enforce the laws strictly. This move follows concerns about rampant hill cutting in eco-sensitive areas, particularly on slopes.

In response to recent landslides in Kerala's Wayanad district, the Goa government will introduce new guidelines requiring soil stabilization reports from engineers. This preventive measure aims to safeguard the state's environment and mitigate potential hazards. Rane also addressed misinformation regarding a controversial construction project in Reis Magos village, clarifying that no recent permissions were granted by his department.

(With inputs from agencies.)