MARGAO: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to carry out a study to assess the carrying capacity of different beaches in Goa for providing shacks and other temporary structures in an environmentally sustainable manner to protect the coastal environment based on the “precautionary principle”.
The tribunal has directed GCZMA to complete the survey within six months and to grant permissions for shacks for the year 2015-16 based on this study’s findings. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has been directed to inspect compliance of directions in the first week of February and submit a detailed report.
While laying stress on regulation of seasonal temporary structures in a sustainable manner without affecting the pristine coastal environment of Goa on the basis of the precautionary principle as mandated under Section 19-20 of the NGT Act, 2010, the tribunal said the seasonal temporary structures, as permitted under the CRZ notification, shall be regulated by GCZMA by granting necessary permissions, incorporating details of the project, specific and general terms and conditions; and environmental safeguards in a comprehensive manner, subject to compliance of the guidelines formulated by GCZMA and other provisions of the CRZ notification.
The GCZMA has been directed to put all the permissions granted to the shacks and other temporary structures on its website immediately within two days from the date of issuance of permission for public information. The guidelines developed by GCZMA shall also be put on the website for public information along with all relevant material, the direction stated.
Besides, the GCZMA shall immediately carry out a rapid survey to tentatively identify sand dunes present in the villages with CRZ-I areas in the coastal areas of Goa and locate them on a map within a period of four weeks and shall not issue any permission in such areas until a detailed survey, conducted by NIO, is completed. Owners of shacks which have been constructed in the current season shall apply to GCZMA for CRZ clearance in the next two weeks and the authority shall examine such applications within the next two weeks, for grant/refusal of such permissions.
In case of refusal of permission, the tribunal has directed removal of the shacks by GCZMA and Tourism Department, forthwith. In case the shacks providers do not apply for GCZMA permission in two weeks, the government shall revoke their permission and GCZMA will issue necessary directions for dismantling of the shacks.
Both the GCZMA and the government have been directed to immediately issue a public notice clearly mentioning the directions of Tribunal in this regard.
The NGT order comes in the wake of an application filed by Aleixo Arnolfo Pereira mainly challenging permissions granted by the Directorate of Tourism, state of Goa and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), allowing raising of temporary beach shacks and temporary huts in private properties, around the villages of Majorda and Utorda.
Aleixo had also prayed for suspension of permission granted for temporary shacks and temporary huts in the private properties by the Tourism Department and the Goa government in CRZ areas, under the shack policy of of the state of Goa.
