Carambolim landowner gets 1L fine for dumping waste

Panaji: A property owner in Carambolim has been penalised by the local panchayat with a fine of Rs one lakh for dumping mixed waste on his property at Kadamba plateau, causing a health hazard and damaging the second longest fort wall in India.

Carambolim panchayat in a show cause-cum-final direction notice, as part of a proceeding which was read out before panch members, directed the owner to pay the fine within 15 days.The owner who had not obtained approval from the GSPCB and other authorities, has also to remove the illegally dumped waste and restore the land to its pristine condition, as some landfilling had been noticed during an inspection in late Jan.

The panchayat will also cease and withhold issuance of any new permissions for construction or subdivision till the directions are complied with.The action was initiated on a complaint by Dilip Pagui, an Old Goa resident, after the inspection showed massive dumping of construction waste, carcasses of dead animals, plastic, broken furniture and other waste.The dumping is likely to endanger the eco-fragile valley, hill slopes and aquifers that help the recharge of groundwater resources in surrounding villages on the plateau.

The inspection by sarpanch Kusta O Salelkar and others had noted that in carrying out illegal dumping at the site, a moat of the historic fort that is part of the centuries-old outer fortification wall of Old Goa had been filled up.The over 3m-high wall ran from Bainguinim through Dauji, Gandaulim, Corlim and Carambolim when Old Goa was the state capital. The still existing Carambolim stretch is at least 2km long.The owner has been given liberty to file written representation only regarding any factual clarification with documents within seven days.