MAPUSA
Acting on the order of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the district administration on Tuesday set out to demolish illegal constructions attached to the iconic Souza Lobo restaurant on the Calangute beach, but had to beat a hasty retreat.
However, the administration had to abandon plans to demolish the illegal structure, as authorities could not identify the structure which was supposed to be pulled down.
The demolition squad led by the executive magistrate of Bardez along with men and machinery reached the site in the morning. Adequate police force was also present at the site.
However, the officials were all at sea when the owner of the Souza Lobo restaurant, Jude Lobo asked them to show the plans and papers of the property.
“Survey no 176/17 is of my restaurant. When I asked them to show me the plan of what they had come to demolish, they had no answer. They did not know which structures they had to demolish,” Lobo told The Goan.
The GCZMA order had called for demolition of illegal constructions of a metal stage on the beach of approximately 80 sq mts, illegally erected laterite masonary compound wall and illegally placed stone pavers as pathway on the beach in No Development Zone (NDZ) area in survey no 176/17 of Calangute village.
GCZMA Member Secretary Dashrath Redkar had issued the order after conducting an inquiry based on a complaint of R Aurora, a resident of New Delhi, but presently residing at Umta-vaddo, Calangute.
An official of the GCZMA informed that the direction was to demolish a stage and pavement which was illegally constructed outside the restaurant.
“There is no direction to demolish the restaurant per se as it is made out to be. The order has been issued to demolish some illegal structures outside the restaurant,” the official informed, on condition of anonymity.
