MAPUSA
Emboldened with the casual approach of government authorities towards illegalities, locals have started construction work on government land near the Uddo beach in Siolim.
A local has constructed a compound wall with masonry stones thereby staking claim on the land close to the beach overlooking the Chapora river.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) had a month ago directed the North Goa Collector to reclaim the government land occupied illegally by some locals on Uddo beach in Siolim.
The authority had also imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh per structure on the persons involved in illegal construction activities near the beach.
The GCZMA came across the government land grabbing racket at Uddo while verifying claims of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) violation in the area.
The authority had also found a huge construction being undertaken in the No Development Zone area on the banks of River Chapora in survey no 119 in total violation of the CRZ notification 2011.
“Despite the clear directions issued by the GCZMA none of the authorities concerned have taken any action against the illegal structures on the beach. This inaction of the government has encouraged other locals to go ahead with their illegal construction activity on the beach,” said Alex Pereira, the complainant in the matter.
He said today it was just one person, who dared to construct a compound wall despite a damning GCZMA direction against a violator, but after sometime others too would follow him and it would be free for all.
In the meanwhile, the Siolim-Marna panchayat has called for an inspection of the alleged illegal construction in the No Development Zone area in survey no 119 on January 27.
An inspection notice signed by Sarpanch Monali Pednekar has been issued to the complainant and the owner of the illegal construction, Mayur Toraskar.
Incidentally, the inspection was scheduled to take place last month but had to be postponed at the last minute as the panchayat secretary was deputed for the ZP elections.
