PANAJI: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has issued orders for the demolition of several illegal structures, including beach shacks and unauthorized extensions to hotels and resorts, along the turtle nesting beach of Agonda in Canacona. The GCZMA clarified that paying house tax to the local panchayat does not legitimize a structure. It stated that house tax collection is merely for revenue purposes and does not serve as evidence of a structure’s legality.
The GCZMA received a complaint last year regarding “rampant illegal construction” aimed at commercial benefits within the CRZ area of Agonda, which is designated as a turtle nesting site and a no-development zone. Following this complaint, site inspections confirmed the existence of illegal constructions.
During the hearings, the complainant informed the GCZMA that these structures breached the beach carrying capacity report issued by the government and highlighted that some violations occurred on government land.
Consequently, the illegal structures at Agonda were sealed. In response, the affected parties turned to the high court to have the sealing reversed. Earlier this year, the court instructed the GCZMA to consider the parties’ concerns and reach a decision within one week. During the GCZMA hearings, many violators acknowledged that they would take it upon themselves to demolish the unlawfully constructed parts.
While the violators presented permissions from entities like the Goa State Pollution Control Board and the tourism department for their commercial activities, the GCZMA pointed out that they lacked necessary construction licenses, approvals from the town and country planning department, and the required conversion sanads for permanent structures.
