PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to act against 44 alleged illegal houses within No Development Zone (NDZ) at Anjuna after verifying their legal status.
The Director of Panchayat had granted stay to the demolition of these 44 houses falling in NDZ. However, amicus curie Adv Abhijit Gosavi appointed by High Court submitted that these houses were built after 2010. There were total 275 structures identified as falling inside NDZ of which the Anjuna-Caisua village panchayat had issued order for demolition of 100 constructions.
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Notices were issued to remaining 175 structures. Subsequently, the Director of Panchayat granted stay to 44 out of 100 structures to be demolished.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam pointed out that out of the 175 show cause notices issued, almost 110 have been disposed of. He told the Court that by the next date, a chart would be filed indicating the status of disposals including giving a gist of the decisions taken.
The Advocate General stated that on the next date he will apprise the Court about the status of the disposal of the 44 appeals pending before the Director of Panchayats/Additional Director of Panchayats.
The Court later granted one month’s time to the GCZMA to dispose the remaining 65 show cause notices.
Referring to Adv Gosavi placing on record Google images of the 44 structures, the Court said that the GCZMA and the GSPCB must inspect all these 44 structures within the next two weeks to find out whether these structures are in breach of the CRZ notifications and further whether these structures are operating with the necessary consents from the GSPCB, where such consents are required.
Merely because the Village Panchayat’s demolition orders may have been stayed by the Director of Panchayats/Additional Director of Panchayats that would not relieve the independent authorities like the GCZMA and the GSPCB from examining independently the legality of such structures or the legality of the operations carried out from the same. If upon inspection the GCZMA and the GSPCB find that there are breaches, it is expected that they will take necessary action in accordance with law.
If any structures are operating without any consent to operate from the GSPCB where such consent is necessary, the GSPCB should take action including sealing of the commercial operations. The Anjuna police and the Bardez Deputy Collector, Mapusa must render all assistance.
Next hearing in the matter is scheduled on January 22.
