PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa pulled up local authorities for their failure to act on an order passed by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), directing demolition of illegal structures in Morjim.
The Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Nivedita Mehta expressed ‘surprise’ over the non-implementation of the order. “We are surprised that an order passed by the statutory body on February 28, 2025 did not receive implementation merely on the pretext that the demolition squad is not made available,” reads the order.
The Bench thereafter directed the Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Pernem to ensure the availability of a demolition squad and carry out the GCZMA’s directive within 10 days.
The directions came in response to a petition filed by Anil Naik, who sought implementation of the GCZMA order issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, directing the demolition of structures identified in the GCZMA’s inspection report and located on Survey Nos. 119/3 and 116/35 in Morjim village. These were to be razed and the land restored to its original condition.
According to GCZMA proceedings, the decision to demolish the structures followed a show-cause process and a meeting held on December 10, 2024. The Deputy Collector and SDO Pernem were tasked with overseeing the demolition within 30 days, and in the event of non-compliance, to carry it out directly within another 15 days with recovery of expenses from the encroachers.
Since no action was taken in the stipulated time frame, the Additional Government Advocate representing the Deputy Collector and SDO submitted a memorandum dated July 1, 2025, requesting the deployment of a demolition squad. The High Court took the memorandum on record but firmly reminded the authorities of their statutory obligations. “The Deputy Collector and SDO shall be provided with the necessary squad for demolition, within a period of 10 days to give effect to the order,” it said.
