MAPUSA
Acting on the direction of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the Deputy Collector of Bardez on Friday sealed the Sunburn Beach Club, a controversial entertainment hub along the Anjuna coast.
The GCZMA swung into action and deputed a team to the site to conduct an inspection of the structure situated at Ozran in Anjuna, after the issue was highlighted in the media.
An expert member of the inspection team found a number of irregularities and violation of CRZ notification.
The team also noticed that the structure had allegedly obstructed a traditional public access to the beach.
“The GCZMA team deputed to the site submitted a report which was discussed by the committee on Thursday. After discussion, the committee decided to issue a stop work order cum show-cause notice to the property owner. We also called the owner for personal hearing on January 7, 2021,” said Dashrath Redkar, Member Secretary of GCZMA.
“In the meantime, considering the party season ahead and to avoid any events from taking place on the site, we directed the deputy collector to seal the entire property, which has been done,” he added.
It may be recalled, The Goan had recently reported how the renaming of the popular Ozran beach as ‘Sunburn Beach’ and declaring it as private beach by the owner of the club had enraged locals in the village.
The owners also went ahead and renamed the club after the popular music festival as ‘Sunburn Beach Club’.
The agitated locals then under the banner of Vagator Anjuna Caisua Villagers Forum (VAC) wrote to the Collector North, Anjuna panchayat and various other authorities to initiate action against the illegal structure.
What infuriated the locals further were attempts of the club owner to declare Ozran as a private beach, which according to them, was a public area and traditionally frequented by the locals, domestic and international tourists.
Interestingly, the GCZMA had ordered demolition of a series of structures in the property in 2019. But instead of demolishing the controversial structures, the owner constructed additional structures in the property.
In July this year, then GCZMA Member Secretary Jhonson Fernandes had written to the Collector North reminding about the demolition of the “offending structures” in the property.
“The demolition order doesn’t seem to have been executed and resultantly the owner of the offending structure has got emboldened to carry out additional structures,” Fernandes had said in his letter to the collector.
