MARGAO
What stops the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) from razing down CRZ structures when the Appellate authority conducts the proceedings without staying the order of demolition?
This point was orally made by a Bench of the National Green Tribunal while disposing off an appeal concerning a CRZ structure in Sernabatim-Colva, throwing up a moot question whether the GCZMA should wait for the finality of the legal proceedings when the appellate authorities does not stay the demolition order.
Social activist Judith Almeida said the NGT observations are significant and assumes significance when many a demolition order passed by the GCZMA is not taken to the logical conclusion when there’s no stay on the demolition order.
“As far as I know, there will be a couple of orders which have not been taken to the logical conclusion on the plea the parties have approached the NGT or the High Court with an appeal against the demolition. But, the recent observation made by the NGT bench while disposing of an appeal in the Sernabatim CRZ violation case shows that the demolitions are not executed when there is no stay”, she said.
GCZMA Member Secretary, Johnson Fernandes, however, has begged to differ. “Whenever the GCZMA passes an order for demolition, the order is sent to the authorities, including the deputy Collector and the demolition squad for execution. When the party against whom an order is passed for demolition goes in appeal but gets no stay, it is for the deputy Collector or the demolition squad to take our orders to the logical conclusion”, Johnson said.
Judith, however, has demanded to know whether the GCZMA does the regular follow up with the deputy collector’s office on the status of the demolition and why the demolition is dragging on despite an order passed by the Authority.
