Remove sandbags in 7 days or face closure, SDM tells resort

Remove sandbags in 7 days or face closure, SDM tells resort
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, AUG 18  
The presence of large number of plastic sandbags on the Majorda Beach has been attracting the attention of the district authorities.
Taking strong cognizance of the sandbags strewn all over the beach, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Margao Johnson Fernandes has ordered the general manager of a starred resort to remove the sand bags within seven days or else threatened to seal the premises for non-compliance of the order.
The SDM has also reported the matter to the Member secretary of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for further action.
In his order, Johnson pointed out that the GCSMA had reported in the past that the hotel was carrying out illegal activity of lifting the sand and artificially manipulating the sea and blocking the culvert and path with stones and sandbags within 100 meters from the High Tide Line, in violation of the norms laid down under CRZ rules.
Incidentally, the office of the deputy collector had earlier passed an order directing the hotel to remove the sand bags and restore the land to its original position.
The SDM, in his order, said the hotel had partly acted and removed only some of the sandbags, adding that there still exist sand bags beneath the coast, which has now got exposed due to the vagaries of nature.
Saying that the act of not fully complying with the order dated July 9, 2007 has now been made openly known at the beach, the SDM directed the hotel to resort to remove all the sand bags put on the coast within seven days.
Locals have been crying foul over the presence of the sandbags, claiming that the illegal activity is responsible for soil erosion witnessed on the coast in the last two years.
Only recently, a local NGO Green Goa Foundation had threatened to move the High Court for dereliction of duties if the authorities failed to act and direct the hotel owner to lift away the plastic sandbags.