Authority directed to immediately shut down six jetties or face monetary penalty
MAPUSA
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has come down heavily on the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for failing to act decisively against jetties operating without valid permissions, warning that continued inaction could invite financial penalties.
In a strongly worded order, the Tribunal directed the GCZMA to immediately stop the operations of six jetties found to be functioning illegally, failing which the coastal regulator would be penalised.
The Bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee observed that merely issuing show-cause notices did not amount to compliance with its earlier directions.
“The first and foremost thing was their operations ought to have been stopped forthwith,” the Tribunal noted, expressing its displeasure at the authority allowing the jetties to continue operations under the guise of procedural formalities.
The case was filed by a local Dikshay Phadte, who had approached the NGT alleging that several jetties were operating along the Goan coast without mandatory clearances under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
During the hearing, GCZMA informed the Tribunal that it had issued show-cause notices to six jetties and fixed a hearing for February 26.
The authority also cited the expiry of its term in December 2025 and the anticipated reconstitution as the reason for fixing a later date.
The Tribunal, however, rejected this explanation, stating that illegal operations could not be permitted to continue on such grounds.
“The jetties were said to be operating without any valid permission. They ought to have been immediately stopped instead of granting them additional time to operate illegally,” the Bench said, warning that failure to comply would leave the Tribunal with “no option but to impose financial penalty on the GCZMA.”
The issue of unregulated jetty operations has been reported in the past, with concerns raised about their environmental impact and alleged violations of CRZ regulations.
Environmentalists and local residents have repeatedly flagged the absence of clear permissions and monitoring, especially in ecologically sensitive coastal stretches.
Meanwhile, the State Environment Department and the Chief Secretary, in their affidavit, maintained that jetties are permissible foreshore facilities under the CRZ Notification, 2011, and that no blanket prohibition exists.
They also referred to a draft comprehensive plan for the fishermen community, clarifying that it contains only recommendations and does not have the force of law.
The Tribunal has now directed the applicants to file rejoinders to the affidavits within two weeks and listed the matter for further consideration on April 1.
