TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to immediately take appropriate action on alleged construction on Vagator beach, conduct an inquiry within two weeks, after issuing a week’s notice. The NGT has also asked for compliance report to be submitted within three weeks, threatening action against member secretary GCZMA, if this was not done.
“Considering prima facie material placed on record and on perusal of the photographs, it is manifest that steps are constructed up to the beach and on the beach itself,” the order observes adding, “However, it is manifest that there is clear violation of CRZ regulations.”
The NGT order – passed by Justice V R Kingaonkar and Dr Ajay A Deshpande of the Pune Bench of the NGT – is on an application filed by Girish Gaonkar, Pradeep Harmalkar and four others, from Chapora seeking the demolition of what they called an illegal construction of building, concrete wall, steps at the Vagator beach which is allegedly in violation of the CRZ notification. The constructions of the walls and steps have been carried out by cutting the hill which is part of the beach and its topography, the application alleged.
The tribunal directed the GCZMA to immediately take appropriate action and after serving due notices of hearing, directed it to “take steps, remove the same without any delay, unless a satisfactory and legitimate explanation is submitted by the concerned person. The inquiry shall be done within period of two weeks, after giving notice within one week and final outcome shall be reported to this Tribunal, within three weeks.” The tribunal also threatened, “else, we will be constrained to take appropriate penal action against the Member Secretary of the GCZMA by drawing presumption that he has certain reasons to protect the mischief mongers.”
According to information, the land was apparently acquired from a local Goan villager by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation several years ago and the Corporation had signed an agreement with Apra Motels, 32 Milestone, NH-8, Sector 15-II, Gurgaon, Haryana.
Sources say that the developers recently begun construction of a hotel building adjacent to the beach and partly with wood and laterite stones.
