PANAJI
In compliance with the order of the High Court of Bombay at Goa, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has taken strict measures against commercial establishments operating without proper consent in the coastal belt.
The officials have so far closed over 155 establishments in the Morjim-Mandrem-Ashwem and Vagator areas over the past month.
Chairman Mahesh Patil told The Goan that the department is now receiving applications from such venue operators seeking ‘consent to operate.’
“We are receiving applications after the closure drive by our officials. If these establishments do not meet the required standards, we will not revoke the closure orders,” he stated.
As per the details shared by the Chairman, more than 55 businesses have been closed in Pernem, and an even larger number -- over 100, are shut in the Vagator area.
The board officials have also been conducting inspections of structures through which commercial activities are undertaken in the no-development zone (NDZ).
In one case in Siolim, the GSPCB informed an anti-corruption activist that El Patron Café and Bar had not been granted any consent. Moreover, the local Siolim-Marna village panchayat has ordered to stop work, if any, against the alleged illegal construction following a complaint by one Vinayak. The complainant alleges unauthorized construction in the public road widening area, violations of building norms, rules, and regulations, as well as illegal business activities.
When asked about how the department ensures establishments comply with the rules given that some tend to allegedly violate the orders, Patil revealed that GSPCB conveys the matter to the Mamlatdar and local police, who then take appropriate action.
