GCZMA issues notices for illegal tourism trade

CANACONA: Twenty-four tourism stakeholders who allegedly erected and operated tourism structures including shacks and huts in 2012 have received notices from Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to remain present in the GCZMA office at Panjim for a personal hearing with documents on January 16 at 11 am.

According to sources, a social activist from Galgibaga on December 5, 2012, filed a complaint against 24 people for engaging in tourism activities in gross violation of CRZ strictures on Galgibaga beach, which is incidentally reserved for turtle nesting. GCZMA conducted a site inspection on April 13, 2013, the fag end of 2012-13 tourism season during which period the tourism stakeholders had demolished the structures.
After December 30, 2013, GCZMA appointed a three-member enquiry committee, headed by a retired district judge. A fresh inspection was fixed for April 9, 2014, but the same never took place.
Now, with the judiciary taking a strong view of indiscriminate pending of over thousands of CRZ-related complaints, GCZMA served notices to all the 24 people, besides the complainant to remain present for a personal hearing at its Panjim office on Friday morning.
According to Poinguinkarancho Ekvott, most of the parties served with notices also figure in the list of 18 people now under NGT scrutiny for engaging in illegal tourism trade during 2014-15 tourism season on the Galgibaga-Talpona coast. This case is fixed for hearing on February 6 at NGT Pune, informed sources.

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