PANJIM: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has been criticised for scheduling a third site inspection in the last three months regarding the construction of a concrete wall on Vainguinim Beach by a hotel.
One of the complainants in the matter, Vainguinim Valley Residents Association (VVRA) has written to the GCZMA seeking corrections/ clarifications to the notice, the authority had sent for the inspection to be held on June 28.
Not only have they pointed out that the GCZMA’s inspection report of April 23 has not been given due importance in the new inspection notice, they added that the then show cause notice (SCN) of the GCZMA has also not been highlighted even though it had key findings detailing the violations.
Thereby, they said the GCZMA has not given all the facts to the authorities that will be present at the new inspection.
The VVRA deems the inspection done on April 23, to be valid and just and in their letter, said they had already pointed out why the third inspection was not warranted.
The VVRA added that the April 23 report and SCN were conducted thoroughly by the GCZMA experts and should thus be clearly attached to the new inspection notice via a corrigendum to be issued by the authority.
The VVRA added that most of the scope of the inspection, as per the notice, would be inconsequential to determine the violations carried out unabated by the hotel.
It added that it would be essential to determine through the new inspection, whether the structure is a repair or reconstruction; whether the material used for the purpose is eco friendly or not; whether there is any approval for the said construction issued by any authority; and more essentially by the GCZMA, whether the planning authorities and local authorities have been adequately intimated as ordinarily required by the permissions issued by the GCZMA itself.
“These vital requirements are found to be conspicuously missing from the inspection proposed to be held by the GCZMA on June 28,” said the VVRA.
“The offending structure constructed today has no connection whatsoever to any wall that existed earlier, and is a new all, blatantly constructed on land that is publicly owned,” the VVRA added.
They demanded that the inspection would have to additionally seek, the dimensions of the new offending structure; the materials used therein; whether permission was granted for the new construction; the damage being caused to the ecosystem at loco and whether the alleged wall is a repair or an entirely new construction.
