Goa's coastal management body directs demolition' of illegal shacks
It has asked electricity and PWD departments to immediately disconnect power and water supply connections to such illegal structures.
Panaji: In a major crackdown on illegal shacks, huts and cottages operating in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) without licenses, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has directed that all these will have to be "demolished".
It has also resolved to direct all coastal village panchayats, municipalities and Block Development Officers (BDO) to identify such structures and submit a compliance report as soon as possible, a GCZMA official said.
The GCZMA had written to state tourism department last week to cancel its licences of such shacks, huts and cottages and also asked electricity and PWD departments to immediately disconnect power and water supply connections to these, an official said.
Moreover, the directorate of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also been asked to cancel or revoke the licences issued to all such illegal structures, the official said.
The authority has swung into action after National Green Tribunal (NGT) during the hearing of a case ordered it to take action against illegal or unauthorised construction of temporary, seasonal structures, shacks, huts, cottages.
The NGT, in its order issued on February 9 this year, had directed GCZMA to revoke all the permissions granted by them in the CRZ areas within a week.
The failure of the authority to act had forced the petitioner to file a contempt, wherein NGT issued notice to them seeking their explanation.