Officials gear up as CRZ axe looms in Salcete...

MARGAO, NOV 30
Starred hotels, restaurants, structures owned by the Railways and the Goa Tourism Development Corporation et al. They figure in the list of structures that may face the axe from the authorities as per the High Court orders.

In fact, the day has finally come when the authorities will chalk out a plan of action to raze down the structures along Salcete’s coastal belt falling within the Coastal Regulation Zone guidelines.
As per the High Court directives, the district authorities have called a meeting of panchayats concerned to finalise the dates to demolish all the structures falling within the CRZ zones. The panchayats are expected to submit the final list of structures identified for demolition, wherein the authorities will fix the dates for razing down the structures.
Inquiries by Herald reveal that the High Court directives will affect the portion of starred resorts located in Varca and Benaulim. And, if the acting Sarpanch of Colva Anthony Fernandes is to be believed, structures owned by Goa Tourism Development Corporation, besides the railways will be razed down as part of the exercise.
The Colva panchayat had initially served show cause notices on 196 structures for demolition. However, after the affected parties knocked the doors of the authorites and after personal hearing given by the Panchayat, the structures liable for demolition have now come down to around 40, says the Acting Sarpanch.
In neighbouring Benaulim, Panchayat secretary Rajendra Naik said a portion of a starred hotel, besides the dance floor of a prominent club house are amongst the 13 structures identified by the Panchayat for demolition. “These 13 structures have been finalised after following the due process of law. The list will be submitted to the district authorities for appropriate action,” he added.
Sources in the know informed Herald that the deputy Collector, Margao Sanjeev Desai has called a meeting in the district Collectorate with the representatives of Panchayat bodies of Velsao, Cansaulim, Majorda, Betalbatim, Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Loliem and Poinguinim.
Deputy collectors, sub divisional police officers, representatives of the demolition squad, besides other senior officials will also attended the meeting to chalk out an elaborate plan to flatten the structures identified and finalized by the respective panchayats.