Team Herald
MARGAO: Acting on directives from the High Court of Bombay at Goa, authorities on Wednesday sealed eight properties and oversaw the voluntary dismantling of nine others at Agonda beach. The action targeted establishments operating without mandatory consent from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
Three resorts and shacks managed to avoid sealing by presenting valid GSPCB certificates during the operation.
The court, in its March 6 order, had instructed the GSPCB to take action against 20 establishments located on the southern end of Agonda beach for non-compliance with environmental regulations.
The sealing process commenced on Tuesday morning, led by Canacona Deputy Collector Madhu Narvekar, Mamlatdar Manoj Korgaonkar, Canacona BDO Savio Coutinho (nodal officer for sealing), Agonda Panchayat Secretary Amol Naikgaunkar, Electricity JE Chari, and GSPCB JE Raj Mohan Prabhudesai, along with a police team under the Canacona police inspector.
A brief dispute arose when a property owner contested the decision to disconnect electricity, arguing that the court order only mandated sealing, not cutting off power. The Deputy Collector defended the move, citing the need to prevent potential short circuits in the sealed premises.
Another confrontation occurred when a property, previously shut down following a Supreme Court order, was listed for action by the GSPCB. Authorities proceeded to seal it and disconnect its power supply despite the owner’s objections.
Two stakeholders presented pending applications for the required GSPCB certificates, and officials assured them that the seals would be removed once approvals were granted.
Five structures, which had been undergoing dismantling for the past two days, were allowed to continue the process until completion.
Meanwhile, four more resorts opted to dismantle their properties after seeing officials arrive for sealing. By the end of the day, a total of nine properties had been voluntarily removed by their operators.
Some properties still had guests on-site at the time of sealing, and they were permitted to vacate before the enforcement took place.
Given the expansive area of the resorts, authorities chose to seal only the main entrances, leaving huts and restaurants inside untouched. However, strict warnings were issued against operating the premises in any capacity, with officials cautioning of strict penalties for violations.
The Deputy Collector was also tasked with submitting a compliance report to the High Court detailing the enforcement actions carried out.