Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday restrained Savio D’Souza of Ashvem, Mandrem and his contractors from carrying any further construction activities in Survey No. 263/18 of Mandrem Village, Pernem, which is located near the turtle nesting site.
The petitioner NGO Goa Foundation had sought direction to the government authorities to demolish the existing illegal construction of a wooden jetty and a concrete shed for storage of water sports equipment on the banks of the Mandrem Creek situated in Survey No 263/18, in Mamndrem, despite having no permissions. The construction was carried out in blatant violation of the CRZ Notification of 2011.
A stop work order dated October 16, 2024 was issued by the Deputy Collector and Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), Pernem, based on a report of the Talathi of Mandrem Saza, who apparently chanced upon the same.
Representing the petitioner senior advocate Norma Alvares brought to the notice of the Court that despite the stop work order the construction activity was continuing in a highly ecologically sensitive area known as the ‘Mandrem Creek’ which is also covered within the CRZ Notification. The Mandrem Creek is located in the close vicinity of the Mandrem turtle nesting sites.
The division bench of Justice M S Karnik and Justice Valmiki Menezes asked the government advocate Manish Salkar to inform the Mandrem Police to provide all necessary assistance to the Talathi and the Deputy Collector and SDO in ensuring that the construction work is stopped immediately and no further construction is carried out at the said site.
The Court has also asked to take further steps to demolish the construction if it falls in the No Development Zone (NDZ) area of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) it it was undertaken without permission.
The Court has warned that it will not hesitate to take a serious view of the matter including initiating contempt of Court proceedings against D’Souza if the latter proceeds with the construction despite the interim order passed by it.
The Court has issued notices to all the respondents and has listed the matter on Thursday, October 24, for compliance.