TEAM HERALD
This was informed by Environment Minister Alina Saldanha on the Floor of the House of the ongoing Assembly session, who stated that “action has been initiated into all the complaints received pertaining to alleged violations of CRZ notification 2011”.
It may be recalled that the minister was under severe criticism from Opposition as well as ruling legislators for failing to take action against the violators.
Replying to a question tabled by Congress legislator Atanasio Monserrate, the minister said that as many as 480 complaints of violations of CRZ were received by GCZMA from April 2012 till June 2014.
The maximum number of violations was reported in the tourism-rich talukas like Bardez – 237, Pernem-86, Salcete-58, Tiswadi-43, Canacona-28 and Mormugao 21.
Bicholim (3) and Ponda (4) reported the least violations.
These violations include illegal construction of residential houses, commercial projects like hotels, shacks, restaurants, additional roof or rooms to the existing structures, illegal construction of retaining walls, destruction of mangroves and others.
Of the total 480 cases, around 136 show cause notices have been issued, the report of which is still pending and remainders have been sent to expedite the same. A whopping 335 cases are pending before the GCZMA inquiry committee for action.
The GCZMA which enforces the provisions of the CRZ notification, 2011 issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), has in last two years, issued stop order in three cases, one each in Bardez, Tiswadi and Salcete.
There are total six cases in litigation, pending before National Green Tribunal (NGT), High Court and district court.
