Goa's coastal belt continues to be in the news for illegal activities, this time over allegedly illegal beach weddings and events in complete defiance of the rule of law. Recent instances, most notably the one at Mandrem, reveal a disturbing trend of a defiant attitude in the face of official warnings and reprimands. A beach resort in Mandrem allegedly conducted an unauthorised beach wedding on Monday, despite being warned by the Tourist Warden to stop the event. The wedding celebration continued on the government-notified beach area, reportedly in violation of the Goa Tourist Places Protection and Maintenance Act, 2001. Subsequently, the department slapped a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on the resort and threatened to cancel its registration.
The fact that a beach wedding continued despite orders to stop it illustrates the systemic problems—the absence of either political will or the incapacity to enforce the laws effectively. It has made a mockery of the system and exposes the double truths that either the authorities are powerless to stop the illegal acts or, put another way, that the organisers are influential and powerful.
This episode represents the poor health of the larger issue that envelops the socio-political environment of the coast. Goa is on the verge of its peak wedding season, which is the busiest time for the tourism industry. Resort areas such as Mandrem, Calangute, Arambol, and Baga in North Goa and the Majorda-Utorda-Colva-Benaulim stretch right up to Cavelossim have been in focus for beach events.
Add to this the unauthorised constructions that are mushrooming in popular destinations along the northern belt. The Bombay High Court’s recent observations at Goa, where it issued stringent warnings against the proliferation of illegal structures along the coast, mirror the judiciary’s apprehension of the decline in the ecological and legal purity of the coast. The court held various agencies responsible for the coast’s state, including the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority and panchayats for their negligence in not only facilitating illegal constructions but also for the re-erection of buildings after demolition orders.
This trend reveals a comprehensive issue – whether due to governmental indifference or lack of political inclination – that hinders enforcing the regulations effectively along the coast. The delay in taking action does not only destroy the environment but also lowers the people's confidence in law enforcement and governance.
The case of Mandrem, where the law was flagrantly disregarded, demonstrates the authorities' apparent lack of will in law enforcement. The fine of Rs 1 lakh paid is insignificant—only a very small number of future violations will be deterred when those responsible feel encouraged to go ahead nonetheless. What is worse is the boldness in the organizers' decision to carry on with the illegal event while being aware of a punitive fallout. It grants other people the courage to do so as well, thereby proliferating the culture of impunity, which in its turn endangers the core of responsible tourism and environmental sustainability.
Mandrem is a clear-cut example of the failure of the system to uphold coastal regulations. The case clearly points out the necessity of a firm, transparent, and accountable law enforcement system that discourages illegal practices. Instead of wasting time with token gestures, the government has to show that it is politically willing to safeguard Goa’s coastlines and recalibrate systems so that violators don’t get a free run. The tourism department cannot take pride in the fact that it acted; rather, it should be ashamed that it failed. Illegalities detrimental to the law and to the peace of Goa cannot be allowed at any cost; punitive measures are secondary.
