Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has strongly criticised the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) for failing to take prompt action against jetties operating without mandatory approvals, cautioning that continued delay could result in monetary penalties being imposed on the authority.
In a stern order, the Tribunal directed the GCZMA to immediately halt operations at six jetties found to be functioning without valid permissions. The Bench warned that failure to enforce the directive would attract financial consequences for the coastal regulator.
The Bench, comprising Judicial Member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, observed that issuing show-cause notices alone did not amount to compliance with the Tribunal’s earlier directions. It noted that the authority should have ordered an immediate shutdown of the unauthorised jetties instead of allowing them to continue functioning.
“The operations should have been stopped without delay,” the Tribunal remarked, expressing dissatisfaction over what it described as the GCZMA’s reliance on procedural steps to justify continued illegal activity.
The matter was brought before the Tribunal by local resident Dikshay Phadte, who alleged that several jetties along Goa’s coastline were operating in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and without the required clearances.
During the proceedings, the GCZMA informed the Tribunal that show-cause notices had been issued to six jetties and that a hearing had been scheduled for February 26. The authority further stated that its tenure was set to expire in December 2025 and that it was awaiting reconstitution, which was cited as a reason for fixing a later hearing date.
The Tribunal rejected this explanation, stating that administrative transitions could not be used as a justification to allow illegal activities to continue. It reiterated that unauthorised operations must be stopped immediately and warned that non-compliance would leave the Tribunal with no alternative but to impose a financial penalty on the GCZMA.
Concerns over unauthorised jetty operations in Goa have been raised earlier as well, with environmental groups and local residents highlighting their potential ecological impact and alleged violations of CRZ regulations, particularly in sensitive coastal areas.
In response, the State Environment Department and the Chief Secretary, in their affidavit, stated that jetties are categorised as permissible foreshore facilities under the CRZ Notification, 2011, and that there is no blanket ban on such structures. They also referred to a draft comprehensive plan prepared for the fishing community, clarifying that it is advisory in nature and does not carry legal enforceability.
The Tribunal has directed the applicants to submit rejoinders to the affidavits within two weeks and has listed the matter for further hearing on April 1.
