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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Tourism dept seeks action over illegal sand extraction at Varca
Panaji: The tourism department took serious note of unauthorised sand extraction and alteration of natural dunes using an excavator along Varca beach. Tourism director Kedar Naik stated that the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and the Colva police have been instructed to initiate legal action against those who extracted sand from the beach. The tourism department forwarded the video from Wednesday to the GCZMA and police, which shows an excavator moving sand on Varca beach, violating the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Goa Tourist Places Protection and Maintenance Act, 2001. 'The department took serious cognisance of a recent incident involving illegal activities along the Varca beach stretch, which is a clear violation of environmental norms. Any activity detrimental to the environment, especially in sensitive coastal zones, will not be tolerated. Strict action will be pursued in accordance with the law,' said Naik.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Govt allots land for crematoriums in Morjim, Mandrem
Mapusa: State govt has allotted land for crematoriums in Morjim and Mandrem. The crematorium is expected to resolve a critical and sensitive issue for the residents of these villages, ensuring dignified final rites for the deceased. Govt has provided a place for the cemetery for the fishermen at Vithaldaswada in Morjim, and the allotment letter was handed over to the local panchayat member Vilas Morje. The traditional fisherfolk at Morjim had sought relaxations from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to carry out repairs and renovations at their crematorium, near a turtle nesting site. The fisherfolk from Vithaldaswada had asked the GCZMA to allow them to repair the crematorium's compound wall or at least permit them to carry out bio-fencing. Morjim residents used to face difficulties in conducting final rites due to a lack of a crematorium. There was once an incident of a body lying for an extended period in Mandrem and an incident wherein the local residents attempted to take a body to the chief minister's official residence at Panaji. Former MLA Dayanand Sopte said that the citizens of Vithaldaswada did not have a proper cemetery. The residents were pursuing the issue for many years. Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar welcomed the cabinet decision of allotting 2,000 sqm land for crematorium in Mandrem. This was a long pending demand of the locals, he said. In 2011, over hundred of residents of Bagwado, Morjim, had marched towards the chief minister's residence along with a body of a 55-year-old woman after a Delhi-based businessman had refused to allow cremation at the traditional crematorium. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Recalculate Rs 39.5cr compensation, NGT tells coastal body
Panaji: The (NGT) has asked the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to recalculate the sum of Rs 39.5 crore imposed by it on a violator as environmental compensation. The GCZMA itself agreed that the calculation done by it was erroneous. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The appellant approached the NGT stating that the GCZMA did not have the Authority to impose such a fine as per provisions of the Environment Protection Act. The appeal was filed before the NGT seeking quashing of the GCZMA order imposing environmental compensation of Rs 39.5 crore. The appellant told the NGT that as per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the penalty provided in respect of each contravention of the Act 'shall not be less than ten thousand rupees but which may extend to fifteen lakh rupees'. The NGT was told by the appellant that Section 15(C), provides for the Adjudicating Officer, and said that it is the adjudicating officer who is empowered to determine the penalty and not the GCZMA. 'The next ground set up by the appellant in this appeal is that the formula, which has been relied upon by the GCZMA, has no statutory basis and that the same is not backed by any executive order and hence cannot be applied for imposing penalty under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,' the appellant told the GCZMA. The appellant said that the filling on the southern side which was to be removed, was completely beyond the no development zone and CRZ, which was only 43m from the High Tide Line. He said that therefore the GCZMA had absolutely no authority to impose any penalty in respect of an area which was beyond the CRZ. The NGT was told that since central govt itself has taken a decision to appoint adjudicating officer under the Environment Protection Act for arriving at penalty/compensation for violation of the Act, therefore the GCZMA has taken away impliedly the power from the adjudicating officer by calculating the amount of environmental compensation itself. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The appellant said that, in the computation of the environmental compensation, the entire extent of the subject site, measuring approximately 12,700sqm has been erroneously taken into account, whereas only an area of 3,360sqm falls within the CRZ. 'In view of the admission on the part of GCZMA that there appears to be some error in calculating the area and hence, they are inclined to recalculate the amount of environmental compensation, we are of the opinion that we should allow this appeal and set aside the order dated 18.12.2024 passed by GCZMA and remand the matter to GCZMA to decide afresh within a period of two months, keeping all the contentions of the parties open, and after providing an opportunity of hearing to all the parties concerned,' the NGT said.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Structures legal if they predate land's declaration as khazan'
Panaji: Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has said that henceforth coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms will not be made applicable retrospectively to structures which have been existing on lands declared khazan areas in the Coastal Zone Management Plan, 2011. GCZMA said that the plan was notified only in 2022, while some structures on khazan lands have been in existence much before that. The coastal body had received a complaint from the general secretary of the tenants' association of Camarkhazan, Mapusa, alleging that an illegal construction of permanent nature was carried out on the khazan land of the Moira river. The association said that a bar and restaurant were being run from this structure. It was alleged that no permission was taken to convert the khazan land to carry out the construction. Based on the complaint, an inspection was carried out by GCZMA and it was found that the site is completely identified as khazan land as stipulated by the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), 2011. The authority noted that the land was declared a khazan area on Sep 7, 2022. 'With regards to the whole plot falling within the khazan land area, as per the CZMP 2011 as declared on Sep 7, 2022; these structures will not be affected as these structures were standing long before the area was declared as a khazan land,' GCZMA said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 축하드립니다! 임플란트 5월 할인 이벤트에 선정되셨습니다. 플란치과 더 알아보기 Undo 'This declaration in the CZMP 2011 on Sep 7, 2022, will now not apply retroactively to any structure existing before the area being declared as khazan land area.' The show-cause notice against the person who constructed the structure has been withdrawn. GCZMA also said that the person who constructed the structure had all the necessary permissions since 2018. 'The structures are outside the CRZ II area and since the structures are outside the mangrove buffer; this show-cause notice is dropped, as moreover, the respondent had earlier already obtained the necessary relevant permissions,' GCZMA said. Representative image
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Time of India
Sinquerim wall spurs plaint, coastal body inspects site
Calangute: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) on Wednesday conducted a site inspection in a property bearing Survey No. 88/1A and 1B at Sinquerim, Candolim, following a complaint about an illegal complaint had been filed by the Calangute Constituency Forum alleging that the compound wall violates coastal regulation zone (CRZ) well-known, scenic property changed hands a few years complaint to the member-secretary of the GCZMA and other authorities states that the 'construction is in violation of…the Environment Protection Act, and falls in the CRZ and no-development zone (NDZ).'The complaint adds, 'It is pertinent to note that as per official records, the NGPDA ( North Goa Planning and Development Authority ) had denied permission to its previous owner for doing any such development in the said property.'The complaint goes on to say, 'Despite this, the present owner has undertaken a new construction of a compound wall disregarding the directions given by the GCZMA and environmental regulations/coastal protection laws and other laws in force.' However, the owners of the property were not present during the GCZMA team consisted of Radha Rao, Bhargavi Kelkar and Raunat Dessai.
