Team Herald
MARGAO: The Colva Civic and Consumer Forum has raised strong objection over the selection of the site for a public toilet on the beach.
According to the minutes of a meeting of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation has asked for NOC/permission for the construction of a toilet block on Survey No 38/0 of Colva village.
CCCF’s Judith Almeida pointed out that the site falls within the High tide line. “This is unacceptable. When the sewage starts overflowing (from toilets), it will be discharged into the sea,” she said.
Interestingly, last year, the water level rose above 3.5 meters due to high tides combined with swells. “If we face similar weather again, the toilets will be half underwater,” she said.
In 2015, in a similar case filed by CCCF, the National Green Tribunal had stated, “We direct that no activity which is likely to cause environmental adverse impact in CRZ-NDZ area of Colva shall be undertaken within the area in dispute henceforth and the Applicant will be at liberty to challenge such activity, if any new design or plan is prepared which infringe or violates the provisions of CRZ Regulation in the disputed area.”
