TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on Tuesday told the High Court of Bombay at Goa that it will immediately stop operations in the Shambhala Beach Lounge at Candolim.
During the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by the Calangute Constituency Forum, the GSPCB counsel M Salkar stated that the GSPCB had already issued closure notice to M/s Ekana Hospitality (Candolim) Pvt Ltd since it had not obtained consent to operate the restaurant. The GSPCB officials will visit the site on Tuesday itself and ensure that operations are halted and would file compliance report on Wednesday, Adv Salkar said.
M/s Ekana Hospitality (Candolim) Pvt Ltd was renamed as Shambhala beach lounge.
Senior Advocate Surendra Desai appearing on behalf of the M/s Ekana Hospitality (Candolim) Pvt Ltd, also told the Court that the operations at the restaurant will be closed from Tuesday itself since there was no consent to operate by the GSPCB.
Regarding M/s Rafale Square Development Pvt Ltd, senior advocate Subodh Kantak, stated that the offending structures will be dismantled/removed and an affidavit to that effect will be filed by Wednesday, giving the timeline within which this exercise will be completed. Meanwhile, these offending structures will not be used for any purpose, he said.
As far as another respondent Zulekha Irfan Tinwala or Droplet was concerned, Advocate General Devidas Pangam stated that he will seek full instructions and the matter could be considered on Wednesday.
Arguing on behalf of the Calangute Constituency Forum, Adv Rohit Bras De Sa had stated that the respondents had violated the no-objection certificate (NOC) for erection of temporary wooden structures and then converting them into permanent structures using concrete, steel and other materials to bypass the restrictions on the permanent construction in the no development zone (NDZ) and to exploit the lucrative beachfront property.
