Team Herald
CALANGUTE: Calangute sarpanch Shawn Martins cleared the mud road built on the beach as assured to the 100-odd people who had gathered at the panchayat office last week to complain against the four-metre wide road constructed with rubbles and red mud at the end of Tito’s lane.
The people had demanded that the road be cleared and the beach be restored to its original status on March 5.
The Sarpanch informed Herald that the panchayat has not constructed any road on the beach but has now cleared it completely.
“In fact I had received a telephonic complaint that someone brought debris and dumped on the beach. A road was constructed illegally and with the help of a JCB machine, attempts were made to remove the debris. The people mistook us thinking that we were constructing a new road. I took a contractor and visited the site and saw that the debris that was dumped was cleared,” said Shawn.
The Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) along with several locals met with the Sarpanch on March 5 and demanded that the said beach area be restored to its original status and such activities in Calangute Constituency need to be stopped immediately to preserve the environment, which attracts tourists from around the world. They also handed over to him a memorandum to act as there was blatant violation of CRZ norms and Rules of the Environment Protection Act 1986.
It may be recalled that on February 19, the CCF had filed a complaint with the panchayat, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), as well with other concerned authority against the said illegal development on the beach, requesting them to initiate immediate action.
On February 22, GCZMA officials, Dr Prabhakar Shirodkar along with Devendra Gaonkar inspected the site and their report clearly stated the violation of CRZ.
A member of the Calangute Constituency Forum pointed out that they had submitted a memorandum to the panchayat and the Sarpanch has assured them that he would clear the road constructed with rubbles and red mud. “This act had destroyed our beach vegetation, sand dunes of golden white sand and created an environmental imbalance. We do not understand the intention of the local panchayat to construct the said road in a No Development Zone, which is eco sensitive zone and claimed they were clearing the road when locals were up in arms over this destruction. It has been cleared now,” he said.
