PANAJI: The coastal areas of Bardez taluka continue to be a hotbed of CRZ violations with the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority pointing out over 435 cases of “illegal and unauthorised construction in no-development zone area” for the last three years. Most of these CRZ violations in Bardez have taken place at Anjuna, Candolim and Vagator.
The GCMA had received 908 complaints, and it has been found that nearly 52 per cent of the CRZ violations in the state have occurred along the coastal belt of Bardez.
A total of 270 cases of CRZ violations reported in different talukas from January 1, 2014 to May 31, 2017 are pending before the GCZMA. However, only 41 complaints were disposed of; 11 cases were reported in Bardez.
Of the 597 complaints in which action was initiated by the authority, 11 are pending for execution before the National Green Tribunal, the High Court and the district court.
The second highest number of complaints on CRZ violations are in Tiswadi taluka (125) followed by 110 in Salcete taluka.
Other talukas from where CRZ violations are being investigated are Pernem (94), Canacona (72), Mormugao (46), Ponda (14), Bicholim (8), Quepem (3) and Sanguem (1).
The complaints were mainly against illegal construction in the no-development zone falling within 500 metre of high-tide line followed by illegal hill-cutting, filling of khazan land and cutting of mangroves.
This information was provided by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who also holds environment portfolio, in a written reply in the state assembly to a starred question tabled by Congress MLA Dayanand Sopte.
These complaints were filed by the individuals, general public, NGOs, panchayats and some were forwarded through the concerned authorities.
CRZ violations have been going unabated despite the existence of a regulating law for a long time now, which has made officials rue about absence of institutional mechanism to curb the violations.
The GCZMA can only ask district collectors to proceed against the violations as envisaged in the law. It cannot act directly in such cases. Many local bodies are reluctant to act against the violations.
It was on February 19, 1991 that the regulation, which prescribed ‘no-development zones’ and other regulations for the protection of sensitive coastal ecosystems including mangroves and corals, was introduced. The legislation, revised in 2011, had also prescribed certain regulations on development and construction activities keeping in mind the interest of the coastal ecosystem as well as the coastal communities.