Directs to dispose appeals against demolition in 4 weeks
PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed the Director of Panchayats to dispose of appeals against demolition orders passed by the Anjuna panchayat within a period of four weeks.
The orders came after the Anjuna panchayat informed the High Court, which is hearing a suo motu writ petition against rampant illegal structures within the Anjuna panchayat that it has prima facie identified 275 illegal structures in the No Development Zone (NDZ) of which the panchayat issued 100 demolition orders, out of which about 18 demolitions have already taken place, the panchayat informed the High Court.
The High Court also observed how via the stay being granted by the Directorate of Panchayats, “these structures continue to be exploited for commercial purposes.”
“Prima facie record shows that no permissions were obtained from the Panchayat authority or the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to put up these structures. By virtue of the interim orders granted by the DOP, these structures continue to be exploited for commercial purposes,” the High Court observed.
“Accordingly, we direct the DOP to dispose of the 44 appeals relating to the structures on the Anjuna beach as expeditiously as possible and in any case within four weeks from today. The GSPCB is also inspecting the structures to find out whether any consent to operate has been issued. The interim orders granted by the DOP, do not appear to advert to all these crucial factors,” the High Court also said.
Accordingly, the panchayat must ensure execution of its demolition orders at the earliest now that it is admitted that the time limit for the parties themselves carrying out demolition has already expired,” the High Court also said.
With regard to the remaining structures, the panchayat informed the High Court that they had discharged the notices to the remaining structures.
Panchayat has filed an affidavit that 175 show cause notices were discharged with the advocate stating that the resolutions by which these notices were discharged will be placed on record by the end of the week.
The State however, informed the High Court that the GCZMA will initiate action against the 175 structures for which the panchayat has discharged the show cause notices. He states that the GCZMA will complete this action as expeditiously as possible and in any case within six months from today.
