The office of Mormugao Mamlatdar on Tuesday served show cause notices, issued by Goa Coastal Zone management Authority (GCZMA), to 120 illegal structures (out of total 121) located along the Baina beach to complete the third and final phase of Baina demolition. The notice that has been served to the residents has been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 read with rule 4 of the Environmental (protection) rules, 1986. In the said notice, the GCZMA has asked the affected parties to file their reply and submit copies of construction/reconstruction/repair licence/approvals, if any issued by the concerned authorities including GCZMA along with the approved plan. The parties have also been told to provide the documents to show the title of property to the office of GCZMA on or before June 16, 2016, failing which final directions including order of demolition of structures, disconnection of water, power supply would be issued. According to the information, on February 3 2016, the GCZMA received a complaint from one Kiran Krishnan requesting immediate action and demolition/removal of encroachments/illegal hutments identified on Baina beach in the check list submitted by the deputy collector and SDM Mormugao. The issue therefore was placed in the 127th meeting of the Goa Coastal Zone management Authority (GCZMA) held on April 29 2016. In the meeting, the members had detailed discussion and due deliberation and upon perusal of the checklist it was noted that the structures are erected in gross violation of the CRZ notification 1991/2011 and as such GCZMA decided to issue directions/show cause notice under relevant section of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to all the violators/parties/owners as specified in the checklist with the direction to show cause as to why directions to restore the land to its original state/order of demolition of the structures should not be issued to them with the further directions to file their reply with documents within 15 days time period. Meanwhile surprised to receive GCZMA show cause notice, the affected fishermen community from Baina has accused the BJP government for playing dirty politics with them. The residents claimed that the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests Prakash Javadekar had assured recently that the dwellings of the traditional fishermen situated along the Goan coastline would be saved. However, the state BJP government has been trying to displace the fishermen by demolition of fishermen structures along with other structures on the Baina shore, they said. We all fishermen are one and we will not allow the state administration to destroy our life. With full strength we will not allow them to demolish our structures in name of CRZ act, they added. Prakash Gawane, a fisherman from Baina Caridad Pereira who is the President of Fish Vendors Association of Vasco Fish market and has a house at Katem Baina said that Fishermen want shore to carryout business and how we would operate if our houses are demolished. This is like hitting on our stomach and we cannot allow them to do this. We all would unite all the fishermen community from Goa to make sure that our structures remain safe. If required we are also ready to give up our life.
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