THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
In what could give major relief to several construction activities commenced prior to finalisation of Goa Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2011, the State coastal regulatory body has said that any construction works that commenced and completed with statutory approvals before CZMP 2011 came into force, cannot be treated as violation of CRZ norms.
During its meeting held last month, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) passed its judgment following a report submitted by deputy collector South Goa pertaining to alleged illegal construction of a residential project -- ground plus two floors, within CRZ limit in Assolna in Salcete. According to the deputy collector, the alleged illegal construction resulted in blatant and serious violation of CRZ notification 2011.
The Authority, based on the inspection undertaken by its expert members, took into account the electricity bill produced by the house owner indicating that the house in question is an old structure built prior to finalization of the CZMP 2011 in September 2022. “The Authority noted that the property/site was declared as Khazan in the month of September 2022,” it said.
“Hence, the Authority, is of the considered view that construction activities which were commenced and completed prior to the final notification of the CZMP 2011 and which were backed by the requisite statutory approvals, cannot retrospectively be treated as violation of CRZ norms,” GCZMA said.
Almost a decade after CRZ notification 2011 was notified by the Union Environment Ministry, Goa's CZMP 2011 based on the said notification was notified on September 6, 2022.
The plan does not depict the port limits. The notification of CZMP is issued on a 1:4,000 scale and all structures, excluding the government authorised, are removed from the plan.
The 2011 plan provides for protection to local fishermen and their houses that existed before the 1991 notification.
