PANJIM: On the eve of World Environment Day, the slow pace at which authorities are looking into the complaints against the construction of a concrete wall on Vainguinim Beach has been criticised.
While Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral recently stated that he has sent a note to the Director of Environment asking for details on the matter, questions have been raised as to why the Minister has ignored the findings of the show cause notice (SCN) dated April 28 that issued by the Goa State Coastal Management Authority (GCZMA). Last month, on May 12, the High Court had even given GCZMA four weeks to decide on the show cause notice.
The locals have also questioned how in the Water Resources Department’s report dated May 4, 2021, where it says work on the construction of the linear wall ‘generally conforms to the plan/drawing as per consultation with WRD’ also mentions how the wooden piles used for the wall construction would be capped with concrete and backed by laterite rubble. Given that the same report talks about how the hotel was supposed to strictly comply with the conditions stipulated in the NOC/permission granted by the GCZMA, the locals pointed out that use of concrete was in violation of said conditions.
Incidentally, in the report for the State government prepared by the Chennai-based National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management that is working on the next Coastal Zone Management Plan of the State, mentions regularly that use of concrete, in any form, is banned.
The GCZMA’s show cause notice also mentions how the use of concrete within the no-development zone violating prevailing Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) conditions and that it had given permission only for repairs of the wall by using eco-friendly material, and not cement.
Activist Prajal Sakhardande, who has been speaking about how the concrete structure can damage the natural beach area, has also raised concerns about the consequences if such a structure within the CRZ, in the name of protecting sand erosion is allowed to remain.
“This precedent will follow all along the coast wherein these big hotels are located. Our coast is an endangered species. Our beaches are our natural heritage. Nature has gifted us. Our coast has become very fragile and it’s time to put an end to this,” said Prajal.
He felt this could pave the way for future ideas of privatising beaches by private companies, which he said the public will also oppose and that there would be a huge outcry.
