Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Jul 4: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has uncovered serious violations of environmental regulations, with illegal land-filling activities damaging khazan land and mangrove areas in Velim, as well as a traditional salt pan in Panaji.
An expert team from GCZMA conducted site inspections following complaints by concerned locals. At Velim, the inspection revealed extensive illegal construction in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2011.
According to the report, the area is entirely classified as khazan land—low-lying coastal wetlands typically used for agriculture and fish farming—and includes parts of a mangrove ecosystem and a water body.
“It was observed that the site was partially fenced with green netting. Laterite stones were stacked nearby, and debris had been dumped between the fenced boundary and the stones,” the inspection noted.
The GCZMA has issued strict directives to the violator, ordering complete restoration of the site within 30 days, including removal of all debris, laterite stones, and fencing materials.
In a separate case, based on a complaint from a resident of Saligao, officials inspected a salt pan in Panaji, confirming that the area was filled with mud and construction debris, disrupting its ecological balance. The site lies entirely within CRZ II, partially within a mangrove buffer zone, and includes a functional water body.
“The violator had created a mud road by filling land on the edge of the water body, and large amounts of debris were stacked at the far end of the site,” the report detailed.
GCZMA has sought the identity of the truck owner found at the site from local police and the Regional Transport Office (RTO). A show cause notice has been issued to the violator, demanding an explanation for the unauthorized activity.
These actions come amid growing concerns over rapid encroachment of Goa's fragile coastal ecosystems, with environmentalists demanding stricter enforcement and long-term protection for khazan lands, mangroves, and traditional salt pans—all critical to Goa’s cultural and ecological heritage.