Maintain vigil on commercialisation of beaches: High Court

Team Herald

Panjim: The High Court of Bombay at Goa while hearing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the wall on Vainguinim beach said that there should be a High Powered Committee (HPC) appointed to keep a vigil on the commercialisation of beaches of Goa. 

Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing the final arguments in the PIL filed by the Goa Foundation against the wall on Vainguinim beach in Panjim. 

The judge gave the example of Mumbai which has a HPC to look into slums and said there is a need to have a High Powered Committee to oversee that the beaches are properly maintained. 

“There has to be some kind of a vigil on the commercialisation of the beaches where issues regarding constructions etc can be promptly dealt with,” said Justice Kulkarni.

The High Court, meanwhile, directed the petitioner, Goa Foundation, to take all matters raised in the petition regarding the construction at the Vainguinim beach and the obstacles in the access to the beach before the National Green Tribunal. 

Goa Foundation had contended that the wall has been recently built by the owner of the adjoining property and was not an old structure as claimed by the respondents.