HC orders GCZMA site inspection at Murda over land filling

Panaji: The Bombay high court on Monday directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to conduct a site inspection at Murda in Tiswadi in connection with a large scale land filling.

The HC on Monday morning directed the inspection to be conducted at 3pm the same day and that the report be placed before it on Tuesday. It asked the Murda comunidade to coordinate with GCZMA officers to conduct the inspection of land to ascertain specific areas from which work of removal of debris is to be undertaken.

The HC is hearing a PIL concerning large scale degradation and destruction of mangrove forests, khazans, salt pans and paddy fields. The HC had constituted a task force to survey the area.

At the last hearing the HC directed its appointed task force to inspect the area and submit a report on the extent of land filing and damage to nearby mangroves and khazans. The petitioner Kashinath Shetye had submitted photographs showing extensive land filling, which the court had taken on record.

The HC at the last hearing had also asked the task force to assess the environmental cost of restoring the land to its original condition and recover it from those responsible. The HC said the violators would be liable for contempt of court as well as violation of the Environment Protection Act and other laws.