ANJUNA ON THE BOIL: Locals stop GCZMA team from surveying CRZ

MAPUSA: Tension rent the air in Anjuna on Thursday as the residents stopped the officials and team of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) from carrying out a survey of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

Stating that the matter is sub-judice and hence no survey can be done, the locals accused the government of conspiring to sell Anjuna’s coastal belt to the corporate lobby.

They called upon the people from across the State to unite to fight the government to stop the daily harassment in name of Acts and Rules.

The locals said, “The matter is sub-judice while as per procedure, the department is supposed to issue notices to the people and establishments that are supposed to have violated the CRZ norms but the same has not been done. Locals are harassed while outsiders conducting business are violating all the rules. Are there hotels, shacks only in Anjuna and nowhere in Goa? Why is there no survey on beaches where the CRZ is openly violated?”

“The government says this survey is as per court directions, but it is conspiring to sell this area to the corporate lobby that is eying it. This is done to destroy the locals and benefit the Delhiites and others. Locals are harassed by the Goa State Pollution Control Board, GCZMA and other departments. We want to tell the government not to force people to take law into their hands. The matter is sub-judice so let the people earn their living peacefully,” a local said.

The locals further pointed out that there are houses, short time businesses and other businesses prior to 1976 and 1991, even before the CRZ and TCP came into existence. People cannot be deprived of their tenancy and mundkarial rights.

A local businessman said, “We have not received any notice and we oppose the survey. Let them issue notices to us and then conduct the survey. We have been in Anjuna for over 80 years”.

The businessman further said, “These small-time businesses are our source of livelihood and if these businesses are shut what are we supposed to do? We don’t have government jobs and, in such a situation, if the businesses are shut and houses are demolished then where are we supposed to go.”

The villagers further appealed to the people to unite to stop the government from harassing them. “Let’s keep the differences aside and fight this battle unitedly,” they urged.