Hotels facing axe appeal before govt against demolition order
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 12
While it is not clear at present, how many structures against which demolition orders issued for being within 200 meters of the No Development Zone, are commercial, appeals filed before the Department of Panchayat revealed there are couple of hotels which have either extended or made additions in violation of CRZ notification, within jurisdictions of village panchayats of Candolim, Calangute and Anjuna, are facing the axe.
M/s U B Holding, M/s Marquis Beach Resort, Sameeran Real Estates, Indian Hotels Company all falling within the jurisdiction of Candolim whereas Colonia Santa Maria Hotel and M/s Goa Resorts in the Village Panchayat of Calangute have filed appeals against demolition orders issued by respective panchayat against their extensions.
In Village Panchayat of Anjuna Caisua M/s Diana Buildwell Ltd, has gone in appeal against the demolition orders issued against its construction. Consequent to High Directives to remove all illegal structures built post February 19, 1991 CRZ notification, the coastal panchayats belatedly initiated action against structures in NDZs in their respective areas.
No construction is allowed in NDZ, except dwelling units of traditional fishermen and post CRZ notification of 1991, a blanket ban was put on fresh constructions in NDZ.
But in total defiance of CRZ notification, fresh constructions cropped up in NDZs. Taking cognisance of the newspaper reports High Court then issued directions to coastal village panchayats to demolish illegal structures.
Though now hue and cry has been made about demolition orders, claiming that they are habitats of traditional fisher men and toddy tappers, the fact is many commercial structures such as hotels and restaurants have been built in NDZ.
Moreover, the exact number of residential units will be clear only after the State Government files its affidavit before High Court. The High Court last week while hearing a suo motto petition on CRZ violation has directed the government to file detail affidavit about nature of structures in NDZ.
A total of 79 appeals came to be filed before director of panchayat after the panchayats issued demolition orders. Of this, six appeals are left to decided, informed our sources. Apparently, in most of the cases, demolition orders were issued without granting personal hearing to parties concerned and hence, cases had to be remanded back to panchayat.
Also in majority cases, show cause notices issued were vague as they did not contain total area under which illegal construction was made. There was only mention of survey no and name of the party but no mention was made whether structure is commercial venture or residential unit, pointed our sources indicating that inaptitude of panchayats has unnecessarily doubled the work.
