Team Herald
PANJIM: Against the backdrop of the ongoing controversy on private shacks following judicial orders, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has decided to write to Tourism Department to conduct a carrying capacity study of the beaches before the next tourism season in October. GCZMA also ruled out the possibility of undertaking a study to decide on the shacks on private properties.
The High Court on Thursday stayed the order issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing GCZMA to revoke the licences of 335 beach shacks on private land.
A senior official, requesting anonymity said, “Carrying capacity of beaches with regards to private shacks is not available and hence we will ask Tourism department to conduct the study for beach shacks.”
As far as private shacks are concerned, GCZMA will ensure that the structures are developed in environmentally sustainable manner to protect the coastal environment. “Private shacks are in private properties and GCZMA has no control on such properties. We can ensure that there are no violations of Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) norms,” official said.
The official also said that the State Council for Science and Technology has already undertaken a survey to identify sand dunes in CRZ-I areas.
NGT in December 2014 had directed GCZMA to carry out a study to assess the carrying capacity of different beaches in Goa. GCZMA’s failure to conduct the study led NGT to pass the order to revoke the permissions. However, the order has now been stayed by the High Court stating that the shack owners were not heard.
