Pulls up GCZMA; cites blatant disregard to court directives, environmental regulations
MAPUSA
In a sharp rebuke to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday ordered an immediate halt to the de-sealing of a controversial club in Candolim, citing a blatant disregard for prior court directives and environmental regulations.
The court directed the GCZMA, along with the deputy collector and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Bardez, to cease all activity related to de-sealing or demolition at the site of ‘Droplet,’ the club at the centre of an ongoing legal battle.
The court further instructed authorities to restore the premises to the state they were in as per a previous order issued in April 2024.
“We fail to understand the pressing urgency in permitting de-sealing of the premises and permitting removal of the extra structures in spite of the directions issued by this court on April 17, 2024,” the court observed in its strongly worded order.
The matter pertains to a writ petition filed by the Calangute Constituency Forum, which had raised concerns over the club’s alleged violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
The club has been accused of carrying out unauthorised constructions and operating on eco-sensitive land merely 20 metres from the shoreline, in an area classified as CRZ-3.
A portion of the property also encroaches upon a designated CRZ-1 sand dune area, as per the 2011 Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
Despite a stop-work order issued by GCZMA in December 2022, construction at the site had reportedly continued unchecked.
A subsequent court-directed site inspection revealed nine violations, including permanent constructions that exceeded approved limits.
The built-up area was found to be 759.34 square metres — more than double the permitted 304.26 square metres for temporary structures.
The property also featured permanent flooring and structures, in direct contravention of CRZ rules.
The High Court criticised the GCZMA’s actions, suggesting that its recent communication allowing de-sealing and removal of structures lacked transparency and contradicted the court’s earlier directives.
It also emphasised that no commercial use of the premises would be permitted without explicit permission from the court.
The next hearing of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition is scheduled for April 21.
