07 Mar 2024  |   06:06am IST

High Court refuses to de-seal illegal structures in Anjuna

Asks for valid documents to seek de-sealing order; earlier order will not be modified

Team Herald

PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday refrained from providing any relief to the 175 allegedly illegal structures at Anjuna, whose owners were seeking de-sealing of their establishments.

The Court told the owners to produce valid documents, permissions and licences from the authorities as per its earlier order, and then to seek de-sealing order. Some of the structure owners had approached the Court seeking modification of the sealing order dated February 13, 2024, stating that their structures were not permanent but temporary in nature.

The High Court’s earlier order had stated that the structures need to have permission from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department under building regulations and licence under Section 66 of the Panchayat Raj Act.

Some of the owners had contended that these rules do not apply to them as their structures were temporary in nature and that they had sought permission from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), Department of Tourism and other regulatory bodies whose permissions were required to be taken for temporary structures.

Earlier, the Anjuna-Caisua Village Panchayat informed the Court that 114 of the total 175 structures had already been sealed. But the Court said that the Village Panchayat took its own time to comply with the order. The Court also made it clear that it had not directed the panchayat to seal any residential premises that were not used for commercial purposes.

While hearing a petition filed by the Diana Buildwell Private Limited, the Court directed the Anjuna Village Panchayat to dispose of the 175 show cause notices issued by it as expeditiously as possible and, in any case, not later than six weeks from the date of the order.

Yet in another petition filed by Rahul Tibrewal, the Court stated that the petitioner makes an application to the TCP Department and the Village Panchayat within three days from Wednesday, then the authorities should dispose of such applications in accordance with law within the next 15 days.