Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The lack of inaction by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) stood exposed after it managed to recover compensation towards environmental damage from only 5 per cent of violators of CRZ norms along the turtle nesting beaches of Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibag and Agonda- in last one year.
This is even though its own expert committee submitted a detailed report about 93 structures way back in February 2022.
It can be recalled that Goa Paryavaran Savrakshan Sangharsh Samitee had approached National Green Tribunal (NGT), pleading for action against temporary structures constructed along the turtle nesting beaches and imposing a penalty towards environmental compensation.
NGT accordingly directed GCZMA to assess the environmental damage caused and to recover the appropriate compensation from the violators.
Accordingly, a three member expert committee noted that environmental compensation works out to be Rs 25,96,174 crore per hectare per year, which translates to Rs 2,590 per sq mt per year.
As per GCZMA, there were 136 violation matters in the North and 105 matters in the South, totalling to a sum of 241 cases, identified for recovery of environmental compensation.
The three members Committee prepared a detailed analysis of 93 cases, that is, 50 cases pertained to North Goa and 43 Cases pertained to South Goa.
“Out of these 93 matters, complete environmental compensation has been recovered in five cases- four in North and one in South,” the Authority informed during its last week meeting.
Further, in 39 matters- 27 in North and 12 in South- objections have been filed against the directions for recovery of the compensation amount. In the remaining 49 matters- 19 in North and 30 in South, action is yet to be taken.
Since the term of the three-member committee expired, the Authority decided to constitute a fresh committee to assess and calculate the environmental compensation in the remaining 148 cases.
