GCZMA orders gather dust as coastal violations go unchecked in Salete

A view of Colva beach, where enforcement of GCZMA demolition orders against illegal coastal structures has stalled over procedural lapses.

MARGAO
Hazard a guess on the status of the demolition orders issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to raze structures, including hotels and resorts, dotting Salcete, especially around the beach belt, over the last two years.
Well, strange as it may seem, it is true that demolition orders by the GCZMA remain unexecuted, while the illegal structures continue operations.
In fact, despite demolition orders issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) over the past two years, illegal structures — including hotels and resorts — dotting Salcete, particularly along the beach belt, continue to stand and operate, raising serious questions about enforcement and the rule of law.
Most of these demolition orders were issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. However, none have been executed by the office of the Deputy Collector, citing multiple reasons — chief among them being inadequate information and lack of clarity in the orders themselves.
Equally concerning is the status of the establishments during the pendency of these orders. Almost all the businesses continue to operate unhindered. While deputy collectors have refrained from carrying out demolitions due to “insufficient identification” of structures, licensing authorities have also failed to seal the premises, allowing commercial activity to continue unabated.
Environmental activist Judith Almeida, who has filed complaints against several such structures under the banner of the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum, expressed deep concern over the situation. She said that although the GCZMA has completed proceedings and passed demolition orders, not a single structure has been demolished so far. “It is amply clear that the orders are not being executed due to inadequate information. In one instance, the demolition squad returned without acting because the GCZMA order did not clearly identify the structures slated for demolition,” Almeida said. “This has allowed violators to continue commercial operations from illegal structures, causing ongoing environmental damage,” she added.
With the Bombay High Court at Goa having taken suo motu cognisance of illegal commercial establishments following the Arpora fire tragedy, Almeida said she now hopes judicial intervention will compel government agencies to act. “I plan to approach the amicus curiae appointed by the High Court in the suo motu petition on illegal commercial establishments and request that this issue be taken up before the court,” she said.
---
Missing maps, unclear orders stall demolitions
Demolition orders issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority in multiple cases — ranging from beach resorts in Colva and Sernabatim to riverine encroachments along the Zuari — have remained unexecuted, with authorities citing missing maps, unclear survey details and inconsistent directions. The repeated delays have allowed alleged illegal structures to continue operations, prompting concerns over enforcement and accountability.
In one case pertaining to a beach resort at Colva, the environmental activist has found that the structures listed in the demolition order have not been razed to date on the ground that no map identifying the structures to be demolished has been provided to the Deputy Collector. Judith further stated that the demolition order does not state that commercial activities must be stopped immediately, as used to be stated in earlier orders, for reasons best known to the GCZMA.
“It is unfortunate that earlier orders made it clear that commercial activities must be stopped. The regular format of the final orders keeps changing, and important directions and the authorities concerned are not mentioned in the orders,” Judith complained to the Chairman/Member Secretary, GCZMA.
In another case relating to a resort at Sernabatim, the activist has claimed that directions issued under Section 5 of the EPA, 1986, by the GCZMA on May 20, 2024, have not been executed to date, again on the plea that no map of the structure/wall to be demolished has been provided to the agency.
In another case, an order issued by the GCZMA under Section 5 of the EPA, 1986, to remove the encroachment of the riverine area of the River Zuari and landfilling has gone abegging. Reason: The order is still awaiting execution to date, as the authority has not provided a map/plan identifying the area to be restored.
A demolition order issued by the GCZMA on July 21, 2025 could not be executed by the deputy collectors for want of clarity on the survey number of the property in question. Social activist Judith Almeida claimed the order is misleading since it states that almost all the structures in the survey number must be demolished. “This has led to a delay in executing the order. It was unfortunate that the GCZMA official at the site could not identify which structures were to be demolished,” she said.
She added: “I had produced clear maps to show that all the structures in the survey number in question were to be demolished, as the only structure that existed before 1991, as seen in Form I & XIV, was now subsumed by several illegal structures constructed on the property without either a Conversion Sanad or any permissions/licences.”
---
October demolition bid at Colva failed over identification issues
MARGAO: On October 6, 2025, the South Goa demolition squad headed to Colva beach to execute an order issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA).
The squad, however, returned without razing the structures or executing the order after GCZMA officials could not identify the illegal structures.
A senior officer attached to the South Goa Collectorate informed that members of the demolition squad were left with no option but to return after the GCZMA official could not identify the illegal structures.
In the demolition order, the GCZMA Member Secretary stated that the Authority was of the considered view that almost all the structures existing at the site on the property in question at Colva are illegally constructed, as only a 100 sq m plinth can be termed as legal under the CRZ notification.
The GCZMA order further directed the party to stop drawing water from the well and to seal the well existing on the property within one month from the receipt of the order, failing which the concerned Deputy Collector/SDO of Salcete, Margao, shall demolish the offending structures and ensure compliance with the directions.
Leave alone executing the demolition order, Judith Almeida, however, has claimed that the well allegedly constructed on the sand dune is being used for commercial purposes despite being a banned activity as per CRZ notifications.