Goa: Drive to seal 51 illegal Arambol structures begins

Panaji: After the High Court issued strictures, authorities on Friday began the process of sealing 51 establishments in Girkarwada, Arambol. Ten establishments were sealed on Friday and the team aims to complete the sealing of all 51 illegal structures by Tuesday. “We sealed ten establishments including shacks, rented rooms, restaurants and other structures,” an official said.

“We will complete the sealing of the remaining structures by Tuesday as it is a difficult process which takes time.” Expressing surprise at the “level of illegal constructions carried out in the no-development zone without obtaining permission from any authority”, the high court last month directed the coastal authority, deputy collector, pollution control board and panchayat to immediately seal the Was. Structures. The court said commercial activities were being carried out in the structures. Illegal structures used solely for residential purposes were not to be sealed.

A joint inspection report “demonstrates the magnitude of the destruction of this non-development area and its exploitation for commercial purposes,” the court said.
The secretary of Arambol’s gram panchayat submitted to the court details of site inspection of 61 structures in Girkarwada, Arambol and Pernem, which were built without any construction license.

Advocate General Devidas Pangam also placed on record a detailed joint inspection report, stating that all these constructions were done without permission. As far as the sealing team is concerned, it includes officials from Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority and Goa Pollution Control Board, Deputy Collector, Mamlatdar, Panchayat officials and police.