GCZMA identifies 216 illegal structures in Girkarwado in Arambol
Panjim: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has identified 216 illegal structures in Girkarvado, Arambol village of Pernem taluka, besides 33 temporary illegal structures reported by Arambol Gram Panchayat in the same ward.
The Court has directed the GCZMA to issue show cause notices to all the 216 illegal structures for appropriate action. It also directed the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to seal 36 temporary illegal structures reported by gram panchayats if they do not have consent to operate.
A division bench of Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes directed the family members of former sarpanch and current panchayat member Bernard Fernandes to submit sketches of all their structures and the purpose of their use.
During the hearing of the suo motu PIL on illegal and unauthorized construction in Arambol, Advocate General Devidas Pangam said that the Panchayat Director had issued a show cause notice to Bernard Fernandes on February 1, 2024. He also presented details of about 46 structures which were found illegal and unauthorized by the GCZMA. This was in addition to the 170 structures that were prima facie found to be illegal and unauthorized.
The Advocate General said that show cause notices have been issued to about 64 structures and show cause notices will have to be issued to the remaining 152 structures which have been prima facie found illegal and unauthorized in this single Ward No. 4 (Girkarwada). Of Arambol Gram Panchayat.
However, Fernandes’ lawyer Advocate J A Lobo said that the reply will be filed before the Panchayat Director on February 19. The court asked the Panchayat Director not to grant any adjournment and to dispose of the show cause notice within four weeks from February 19. To put the decision on the file of this Court.
Advocate Deepak Gaonkar filed a compliance report on behalf of Arambol Gram Panchayat. The report lists about 36 structures, most of which are used for commercial purposes such as restaurants, resorts, etc. Most of the structures do not have any license or occupancy certificate etc.
Pavithran AV, appearing for GSPCB, said that GSPCB will inspect these structures and if they do not have any consent to operate, immediate steps will be taken to shut down their operations. He said that the compliance report will be filed within a week.
Advocate Gaonkar told the court that the Gram Panchayat will also issue show cause notices to these structures within the next 15 days. The next hearing of the case has now been fixed for February 26.
