The Nation al Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Zone Bench at Pune, has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to de molish 24 cottage blocks, one restaurant and two re ception buildings at a beach resort located at Mandrem Beach in North Goa, hold ing that the structures were illegally constructed in vio lation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms. The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, Judi cial Member, and Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Expert Member, while disposing of an appeal filed by Chan dan Suryakant Khorjuvekar. The appeal challenged a decision of the GCZMA tak en during its meeting on October 23, 2023, by which show-cause notices issued to the resort owners—Pan kaj Chopra and Goldy Chop ra—were discharged. The resort, located at Sur vey No 211/2-A at Ashwem Village, Mandrem Beach, Pernem Taluka, had been granted revised permission by GCZMA in June 2021 for the erection of temporary seasonal shack cottages and reception structures made only of wood or other bio degradable materials. The approval specifically pro hibited the use of cement concrete and permanent construction, as the prop erty falls within the CRZ No Development Zone. However, a site inspec tion carried out by GCZMA officials in August 2022 revealed that each cottage block was supported by ap proximately 20 reinforced cement concrete (RCC) col umns of 40 x 40 cm size. The inspection team noted that the foundations could not be verified due to excavation constraints, but the presence of RCC columns indicated permanent construction. Similar RCC pillars were also found in the restaurant and reception buildings. The Tribunal observed that while the inspection re port recorded the existence of 24 cottage blocks, the GCZ MA’s final order mentioned only 15 cottages in its oper ative portion. The NGT held that this discrepancy was a typographical error and that all 24 cottage blocks were il legal and had been wrongly discharged by the authority. “The permanent struc tures could not have been permitted at the site in ques tion and have been wrongly discharged by the GCZMA,” the bench stated in its order. The Tribunal directed GCZMA to demolish all 24 cottage blocks, one res taurant and two reception buildings within one month from the date of uploading of the order. At the same time, the NGT permitted the retention of a concrete storm water drain constructed at the site, ac cepting GCZMA’s submission that the drain was necessary to restore natural rainwater flow and prevent flooding in the surrounding village. The resort owners did not appear before the Tribunal during the hearing. With these directions, the Tribunal disposed of the appeal and ordered the return of original records to the GCZMA.
NGT orders demolition of illegal resort structures at Mandrem beach
