GCZMA identifies 216 illegal structures at Girkarwado in Arambol

PANJIM: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has identified as many as 216 illegal structures in Girkarwado, Arambol village in Pernem taluka, in addition to the 33 temporary illegal structures reported by the Arambol village panchayat in the same ward.

The Court has directed the GCZMA to issue all the 216 illegal structures show cause notices for appropriate action. It also directed the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to seal the 36 temporary illegal structures reported by the village panchayat if they are not having consent to operate.

The division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes further directed the family members of former sarpanch and sitting panchayat member Bernard Fernandes to submit sketches of all their structures and the purpose for they are put to use.

During the hearing of public interest litigation suo motu on illegal and unauthorized constructions in Arambol, Advocate General Devidas Pangam stated that the Director of Panchayats had issued a show cause notice dated February 1, 2024 to Bernard Fernandes. He also submitted details of almost 46 structures, which were found to be illegal and unauthorised by the GCZMA. This was in addition to the 170 structures which were found to be prima facie illegal and unauthorised.

The Advocate General stated that show cause notices have been issued to about 64 structures and the show cause notices will have to be issued to the remaining 152 structures which are found to be prima facie illegal and unauthorised in this single ward No. 4 (Girkarwada) of Arambol village panchayat. 

However, Fernandes’s counsel Adv J A Lobo said that a reply will be filed before the Director of Panchayats on February 19. The Court asked the Director of Panchayats not to grant any adjournments and to dispose of this show cause notice within four weeks from February 19 and to place the decision on the file of this Court.

Adv Deepak Gaonkar filed a compliance report on behalf of the Arambol village panchayat. The report lists about 36 structures, mostly of which used for commercial purposes like restaurants, resorts, etc. Most of the structures have no licences, or occupancy certificates, etc.

Pavithran A V, who appeared for the GSPCB, stated that the GSPCB will inspect these structures and if they do not have any consent to operate, immediate steps will be taken to close their operations. He stated that the compliance report will be filed within a week.

Adv Gaonkar told the Court that even the village panchayat will issue show cause notices to these structures within the next 15 days. The matter has now been posted for next hearing on February 26.