In what should be another major embarrassment to the Tourism Department, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) pulled up the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) for undertaking excavation, destruction of beach vegetation, and changing the coastal morphology while undertaking its beautification project, which is very close to the Morjim turtle nesting site, and in violation of the CRZ norms. The coastal authority, while stating that a major damage has been caused to the protected area, sought the deployment of coastal police for regular patrolling to prevent the recurrence of such illegality.
Earlier in July this year, the High Court of Bombay at Goa had ordered an immediate stay on the development and beautification works at the beach after it took cognisance of the damage caused to the entire ancient sand dune bank. It was then that even the GCZMA was criticised for entertaining GTDC’s beach beautification project using cement concrete at the entrance, one that required the demolition of the entire sand dune bank.
Morjim beach faces the wrath of sound pollution too, with clubs belting out loud music in sheer disregard to High Court directives. The police and district authorities have largely been mute to the complaints of locals, with high-decibel music being played within metres of the protected area.
The lip service paid by the government towards coastal conservation is glaringly evident in its handling of Morjim beach, a crucial nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles and a known ecological jewel. It is unfortunate that authorities choose to look the other way when it comes to ecological preservation, exposing a troubling disconnect between conservation commitments and actual on-ground action. This is where the question surfaces — tourism, at what cost?
Goa cannot sell its soul for tourism. Protecting its sensitive ecology becomes a bounden duty of not just the government, or the coastal police. It is a priority of every Goan. The recent excavation activities undertaken by the GTDC, ostensibly for beautification, exemplify a blatant disregard and mockery of systems.
The GCZMA rightly pulled up GTDC, citing that the work was in direct violation of CRZ guidelines. However, it remains to be seen if their orders to halt all excavation and assess the damage, along with recommendations for environmental restoration, have any effect on a department that is ruthlessly going for the kill. We say this because procedural steps in a process have repeatedly been ignored. The fact that little attention was paid to grassroots voices and environmental watchdogs says a lot. The periodic announcements of turtle nesting habitat plans, new regulations, or environmental notifications prove to be a farce in the wake of illegal activities.
Development projects should be subjected to comprehensive environmental impact assessments, with turtle nesting and sand dune vegetation protection as non-negotiable conditions. The government should also establish a dedicated ecological protection zone around nesting sites, with no construction or excavation allowed. Communities, local residents, and eco-activists must be empowered to act as custodians of their coastline. Transparent mechanisms for reporting violations and holding violators accountable are essential to shift the narrative from exploitation to conservation.
Morjim Beach’s ecological vulnerability is a mirror reflecting the tourism department’s superficial commitment to environmental protection. The need of the hour is sustained action and genuine enforcement; otherwise, the fragile nesting site will continue to be sacrificed at the altar of tourism. The question is whether, at some point, the priority would shift to preservation of natural heritage.
