Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), which had taken up the matter of the concrete wall constructed on Vainguinim beach in April, has asked the Bombay High Court (HC) at Goa for more time before it can give its verdict on the case.
The Vainguinim Valley Residents Association (VVRA) had approached the HC for directions to be issued to GCZMA to decide on the show cause notice (SCN) the authority had issued to the hotel that had carried out the construction.
While GCZMA has repeatedly sought extensions to decide on the SCN, the government on Friday sought an additional 15 days and the matter has now been posted for hearing on October 22.
It may be recalled that the government had earlier informed the HC that it would decide on the matter by September-end and the matter had been fixed for a hearing on October 1.
“GCZMA has unusually delayed its decision on the SCN dated April 28, 2021 despite the conclusion of the arguments in the matter on August 29 2021,” said a member of VVRA.
It’s not just VVRA that are upset with the inordinate delay on GCZMA’s part in disposing of this matter but over a dozen other complainants that had also approached the authority. All of the complainants have demanded that the wall be demolished and that the beach be restored to its original condition. The Director of Goa Foundation, Claude Alvares and activist Kashinath Shetye are amongst the other complainants.
Complainants have threatened to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as the said construction goes against existing NGT orders. They are however waiting for GCZMA to give its verdict in the matter.
GCZMA has also had multiple hearings with the complainants while three inspections of the concrete wall have also been held.
