MARGAO
Decks were cleared for the demolition of the structures of Silver Sands Hotel after the High Court last month stated that the petitioner has failed to make out any case for interference with the order passed by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
In the order dated March 2, the High Court had dismissed the petition filed by the owners saying the petition is found to be without any merit.
Based on the directions by the High Court in a Public Interest Litigation, the GCZMA after an inquiry had found that the petitioner had failed to place on record approvals for the structures in question and upon taking into consideration survey plans and documents on record, as well as mapping carried out by the office of the Survey Records, it resolved that the hotel had failed to justify the existence of the structures at the hotel premises in Colva village and further resolved to pass demolition order against all the structures.
In pursuance of the same, the GCZMA on December 5, 2018 issued a direction under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, read with the Rules framed thereunder, directing demolition of the structures at the expense of the petitioner and for submission of compliance report.
The demolition order was later challenged before the National Green Tribunal, but the petition was later dismissed.
