MAPUSA
Six days have passed since the High Court had ordered the sealing of 175 structures in Anjuna within 10 days, but the Anjuna panchayat and the Block Development Office (BDO) have sealed only 20 structures so far.
On February 13, the High Court had directed the sealing of 175 structures in the no-development area along the coast in the Anjuna-Caisua panchayat area and had sought an action-taken report to be submitted within 10 days.
Acting on directives of the High Court, the panchayat and BDO began sealing structures on February 15 and in the last six days, have sealed only 20 establishments and they include 12 cottages of a hotel in Chapora.
The drive to seal structures has proceeded at a slow pace.
Officials have claimed that the action has been delayed because the vehicle does not reach the places of some structures, forcing the team to walk to the sites, and in many cases, the verification of documents and sealing process has taken time.
With the panchayat and BDO expected to submit an action-taken report within 10 days, it is left to be seen if the officials can seal the remaining 155 structures within the next four days.
It may be noted that life in the otherwise bustling coastal village of Anjuna came to a grinding halt as shops and establishments were shut down as part of a day-long bandh to voice concern over the sealing of establishments illegally set up in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
