PANJIM: Mackie’s Saturday Night Market at Arpora has been issued a show cause notice by Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for operating in a No Development Zone (NDZ) in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines.
GCZMA observed that the Saturday night market, run by one Joseph Pereira, has illegally constructed temporary huts, stalls and permanent structures including office, dance floor, concrete structure at the edge of the tidal creek. The deck has been created through illegal land filling and land reclamation. The market is situated within 50 mts of the high tide line (HTL).
The show cause notice issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 directs to explain “why a direction to demolish the structures as stated above and restore the land to its original condition should not be issued to you”. Failure to reply to the notice within a week, will force GCZMA to demolish the structure without further notice.
“The alleged illegal construction and activity is highly detrimental to the coastal ecosystem/riverine ecosystem,” GCMZA member secretary Srinet Kotwale said in the order. The owner has also failed to seek prior permission from GCZMA for construction as required under the CRZ Notification 2011.
“As per the CRZ Notification 2011; the entire belt of 100 mts from the HTL of river and 200 mts from the HTL from the sea is designated as the No Development Zone (NDZ) and hence no construction/development whatsoever are permissible in the said belt,” the notice states.
The show cause notice has been issued following a complaint by social activist Kashinath Shetye who alleged that the night market is illegal construction and in contempt of National Green Tribunal (NGT) order on CRZ.
A site inspection carried out by GCZMA reported that the area falls under CRZ-I category. “The make shift structures as well as the permanent structures are located in the NDZ. Land reclamation of an erstwhile paddy field in the CRZ is tantamount to violations of CRZ Notification 2011,” the report stated.
This was followed by a negative report from Deputy Collector Bardez.
