GCZMA officials fail to identify structures
MARGAO
The planned demolition of the illegal structures constructed in Colva village in violation of the CRZ notification, scheduled on Monday, was postponed — but for a different reason.
While the demolition squad was present at the site with the equipment and workers to execute the demolition order issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the squad returned without executing the order after the GCZMA officials could not identify the illegal structures.
Left with no option, the demolition squad returned, and the Salcete Mamlatdar, Gaurav Gaonkar, is believed to have filed a report before the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Margao, and Chairman of the demolition squad.
An official informed that though the GCZMA officials were present at the site when the demolition squad arrived on Monday morning, the officials could not identify the illegal structures.
This assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the order passed by GCZMA Member Secretary, Sachin Desai, in July last.
Social activist Judith Almeida, who is the complainant in the case, has cried foul over the postponement of the demolition operation. She has demanded to know the exact reason behind the postponement — whether due to the absence of the GCZMA officials or because the officials failed to identify the illegal structures. “How is it that the GCZMA officials could not identify the illegal structures when the demolition order has been passed by the Member Secretary?” Judith said, while stating she would seek an explanation from the demolition squad as well as from the GCZMA over the postponement.
In the demolition order, the GCZMA Member Secretary stated that the Authority was of the considered view that almost all the structures existing at the site in the property in question in Colva were illegally constructed, as only a 100 sq mts plinth can be termed as legal under the CRZ notification. “However, it is difficult to identify and locate the said plinth/house at loco, since the 100 sq mts area has been subsumed into the illegal structure, thereby losing its separate identity. The GCZMA decided to issue directions to the Respondent/violator to demolish all the structures existing in the property.
The Authority further decided to direct the Respondent to stop drawing water from the well and also seal the said well existing in the property,” the order stated.
The GCZMA order had further directed the party to stop drawing water from the well and also seal the well within the property within one month from the receipt of this order, failing which the concerned Deputy Collector/S.D.O of Salcete, Margao, shall demolish the offending structures and ensure compliance with the directions.
Further, the Dy Collector & SDO of Margao is required to submit a compliance report to the GCZMA within 3 days of the expiry of the aforementioned 30-day period, the order had stated.
