PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has criticised the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and Village Panchayat (VP) of Arambol for not complying with its directions to seal structures carrying out commercial activities illegally.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has identified 216 structures as being illegal while the VP and GSPCB claimed to have initiated action against some of these.
The Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice Valmiki Menezes observed only partial compliance with its directions while granting one week’s time to the concerned authorities for filing a detailed report.
“The GSPCB and VP Arambol have prima facie not complied with our directions… It is apparent that there is no complete compliance with the directions issued by us. Therefore, at the request of the learned counsel, we grant a week's time to file a proper and detailed compliance report along with photographs, etc,” the Bench observed in response to a suo-moto Public Interest Litigation against the illegal and unauthorised structures in Arambol.
The authorities, during the hearing, assured the Court that buildings/structures that do not have consent to operate or are otherwise illegal, if found carrying out commercial activities illegally, would be sealed.
The VP submitted that 125 show cause notices have so far been issued and further, these matters will be considered by the Panchayat in its next meeting scheduled on March 30. The concerned legal representative submitted to the Court that decisions in accordance with the law would be taken and subsequently placed before this Bench.
Senior advocate A F Diniz submitted that the respondents will themselves dismantle/ demolish these temporary structures and file a necessary compliance report within two weeks from March 13.
“These structures have been sealed and necessary orders may be made to de-seal them only for the purpose of carrying out the demolitions,” he stated following which the Court directed the Deputy Collector, Pernem to visit the site on March 18 at 10 am for de-sealing of these structures.
“No sooner the same are de-sealed, the respondents should commence the demolition/ dismantle. This should be completed within two weeks therefrom. The Deputy Collector and the Secretary of the Panchayat should ascertain whether the demolition/dismantling is complete and file a compliance report in this Court,” reads the order.
The Court has slated the matter for further hearing on April 3.
