AGNELO PEREIRA
MAPUSA
Curtains have finally come down on a night club after the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) recently ordered demolition of its alleged illegal structures close to
the banks of Chapora River in Siolim.
The GCZMA has directed Tesso Waterfront to demolish all the structures along with concreted flooring, jetty and swimming pool and restore the land to its original condition.
The GCZMA order stated that after hearing all parties it was decided to issue demolition orders for all the illegal constructions carried out in survey no 301/1 in village panchayat of Siolim. “The GCZMA in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 hereby directs Mrs Telma Desa Pinto c/o Tesso Waterfront to demolish all the structures along with concreted flooring, jetty and swimming pool as decided by the authority in its meeting held on August 14, 2018 and restore the land to its original condition within 15 days from the date of receipt of this order,” said Ravi Jha (IAS) member secretary of GCZMA.
The GCZMA in its order also said that if the structures were not demolished within the stipulated time, the deputy collector/SDM would demolish the structures and recover the expenses from Pinto.
The demolition order brings to a close a long drawn battle between the complainant and the owners of the nightclub.
Joining hands to oppose gross violation of CRZ rules, two residents of Siolim Anthony D’Souza and Agnelo Noronha in a complaint to GCZMA in 2012 stated that Teso Waterfront had allegedly carried out illegal construction of permanent shacks on Chapora river bank in survey no 301/1 and was running a night club without obtaining permission/approval from GCZMA and in violation of CRZ notification.
What followed was a saga of meetings before the nodal agency and legal battles from NGT to the High Court.
Since the GCZMA failed to decide on the matter for three years, the complainants were forced to petition the NGT in 2015. After several hearings, the NGT re-directed the GCZMA in 2016 to take action as per law within specific period.
The GCZMA then conducted a hearing and directed Teso Waterfront to demolish all illegal structures including concrete flooring, jetty and swimming pool.
Teso Waterfront filed a writ petition against the demolition, which was disposed off by the High Court on July 3, 2017, directing the GCZMA to hear the parties concerned afresh and to decide the matter.
After the HC order, GCZMA met thrice to hear the matter and the final hearing was held on September 26, 2017.
The decision, however, was pending for orders ever since.
Finally, in its August 14, 2018 meeting, the GCZMA upheld its earlier order and once again directed Tesso Waterfront to demolish its structures.
Welcoming the order, one of the complainants Anthony D’Souza said the GCZMA took its own sweet time to pass a direction. “Better late than never. But that it took us six long years to get justice clearly shows that getting orders in environment related cases is a sheer challenge in India,” D’Souza said.
