MARGAO
Hazard a guess how many structures did the Demolition Squad raze in Colva as per the orders of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority issued in the year 2022?
Well, the demolition squad headed by Deputy Collector, Margao Ramesh Gaonkar returned back without executing the GCZMA demolition order after the PWD officials insisted they have received no funds from the government till date to execute the demolition orders.
Deputy Collector Gaonkar told The Goan that the demolition squad could not carry out the demolition of illegal structures in the CRZ zone for the reason that the PWD officials maintained that they have no specialized machinery to execute the demolitions.
This is not the first time that that planned demolitions of CRZ structures along Salcete coast had been scuttled with the PWD insisting on funds to deploy specialized machinery to raze down the illegal structures.
Social activist and Secretary, Colva Civic and Consumer Forum Judith Almeida has cried foul over the inordinate delays in executing the demolition orders passed by the GCZMA. “On one side, we are glad to know that the High Court has passed recent orders in respect of illegal structures in North Goa. But, here is the case wherein the demolition machinery has hit a road block over an excuse that the PWD has no specialized machinery and the government has not sanctioned funds to rope in the machinery”, Judith lamented.
She demanded to know what the law abiding citizens are expected to do when the authorities designated to execute demolition orders passed by the GCZMA and confirmed by the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court are dragging their feet on the lame excuse that they have no machinery nor funds to rope in specialized machinery.
When The Goan contacted Johnson Fernandes, Director, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to shed light on the proposal forwarded to the Finance department to allot funds amounting to Rs two crore to fund the demolition exercise, he said his office is yet to receive the funds from the government till date. “My office had proposed to the government to sanction Rs 2 crore, one crore each for North and South Goa to fund the demolition exercise by engaging specialized machinery. Till date, however, the funds have not yet come”, he said.
