PANJIM: Nearly 15 per cent of the temporary structures- identified for operating in violation of coastal zone regulations (CRZ) along the turtle nesting beaches of Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibag and Agonda- way back in 2022- are now found to be non-traceable for action. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has decided to write to panchayats, tourism and health department to provide details or documents with regards to those structures.
Goa Paryavaran Savrakshan Sangharsh Samitee had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking action against the temporary structures constructed along the turtle nesting beaches and imposing penalty towards environmental compensation.
As per GCZMA, there were 136 violation matters in the North and 105 matters in the South totaling to a sum of 241 cases, identified for recovery of environmental compensation.
Accordingly, the GCZMA during its meeting in February formed a three-member committee comprising Savio Correia, Sujeetkumar Dongre and Pranoy Boudhya to calculate the compensation. The committee noted that environmental compensation works out to be Rs 2,59,6174 cr, per hectare per year, which translates to Rs 2,590 per sq mt per year for the 93 cases- 50 cases pertained to North Goa and 43 cases pertained to South Goa. However, only in five cases, complete compensation is recovered.
Since the term of the three-member committee expired, the Authority decided to constitute a fresh committee to assess and calculate the environmental compensation in the remaining 148 cases.
During the recent meeting, the Authority noted that of these 148 cases, 23 cases are not traceable as per the report submitted by the Mamlatdar, which included 13 in North Goa and 10 in South.
“The Authority after perusing the report of DLC (Mamlatdar), with respect to the structures which are not traceable, the Authority decided to write to the Panchayat, Health department, Tourism Department requesting to provide any record/document if available with them with respect to those structures,” the GCZMA said.
Further, out of the total 148 violation cases there were total of 86 cases in North District and 62 cases in South. From the 86 in North, the authority has discharged 11 cases as such no compensation can be levied and 62 cases are charged with the Environmental damage case.
On the other hand in South Goa, 10 cases are discharged by GCZMA and 42 cases are charged with the Environmental damages cases.
