Team Herald
PANJIM: Upset over the manner in which the concretisation work carried out on Vainguinim beach was completed on Friday, locals of the area will now be knocking on the doors of the authorities seeking a demolition order as they claim that it violates the conditions of the permissions granted by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for repair work as well as the CRZ notification.
On Thursday, after GCZMA postponed the hearing in connection with the show cause notice the authority had issued the hotel that had carried out the construction work of a linear wall. The Vainguinim Valley Residents Association had written to GCZMA asking that a stay order be issued until the proceedings related to the show cause notice is completed.
While locals on Friday criticised the authority for failing to respond to their letter and also not taking action despite having flagged several issues in the inspection report held on April 23, they also approached the Taleigao panchayat demanding action. The panchyat had also carried out an inspection along with GCZMA on the same day. They questioned why the panchayat has not yet shared the copy of its inspection report and for a stop work order since the panchayat had already admitted that they had not given any permission for the work.
On Friday, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was also asked about this issue and he stated that the authorities that oversee Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) issues are monitoring the work.
A statement by the hotel has also been released where its spokesperson has said that the hotel has undertaken only repair work on the retaining wall in their own property to prevent further erosion of the beach and restore damage from heavy rains over the past two years. The hotel added that they have acquired all the requisite permissions and began work after consulting the State Water Resources Department. They further stated that they have always been committed to environmental preservation and will continue to protect and preserve Goa’s natural resources and biodiversity.
Against this backdrop, there has been a flurry of posts across social media criticising the construction work and the use of concrete on the beach, which is not permitted in the CRZ no development zone.
Goa Foundation (GF) also released a statement on its Facebook page where it termed the ongoing activity as destruction of the Vainguinim beach.
It added that it had successfully fought for the rights of the public to visit the Vainguinim beach several decades ago against attempts made by the resort to privatise the beach with the Supreme Court guaranteeing public access.
It then referred to the construction activity that commenced on the beach recently. “The GCZMA, on the basis of the report of its two members, issued a meek ‘show cause’ notice even while its members had demanded a stop work order,” GF added.
It also pointed out that the social media is filled with photographs and video reports of what is happening at the beach, and that all this has been happening while Goa is under the Covid pandemic curfew. The foundation also questioned why must it be the duty of ordinary citizens every time to protest such barbarities.
