MARGAO
The Supreme Court has stayed the order passed by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for the demolition of structures built by a resort at Colva and to restore the land to its original position.
The stay on the demolition was revealed when a team of officials apparently descended at the resort to seal it, only to be presented with a copy of the Supreme Court's stay order. The resort had sought relief from the apex court after the National Green Tribunal, Western Branch, rejected its appeal against the GCZMA's demolition order issued in 2022.
In dismissing the appeal, the NGT Bench found the arguments presented by the complainant, Colva Civic and Consumer Forum, compelling. It noted that the resort had progressively expanded its hotel accommodation without appropriate permissions, increasing from 25 rooms in 1986 to 156 rooms as per the paper book, an inspection report of Medium Class Accommodation (‘B’ Category), prepared by the Tourism Department.
The NGT bench had observed: “But no permission of the additional rooms, being constructed at such a huge level, has been produced by the appellant before us. We also find that it is rightly recorded by the GCZMA in its impugned order that no documentary evidence could be produced by the appellant to substantiate its claim that the structures, which have been ordered to be demolished, belonged to the period prior to the year 1991.”
It added: “We do not find any infirmity in the impugned order dated 12.10.2022 passed by the respondent No.1/GCZMA and accordingly, this appeal deserves to be dismissed and is accordingly dismissed.”
