Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Dec 9: Documents accessed by The Indian Express have revealed that the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) received two complaints regarding the property that houses Birch by Romeo Lane — the nightclub where 25 people died on Saturday night — but took no action, citing lack of jurisdiction.

The Authority, which is mandated to protect and improve Goa’s coastal environment and regulate activities within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), said the property fell outside the notified CRZ limits. Under CRZ Notification 2011, all construction or development activities between 100 metres from a river and 500 metres from the sea require prior approval from the Authority.

The first complaint was filed in December 2023 by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil D Divkar, and the second in January 2025 by Atmaram D Gadekar. Both alleged illegal construction in an eco-sensitive salt-pan zone, including shops, restaurants and various structures, one of which was Birch by Romeo Lane.

Following the complaints, the Authority conducted a site inspection and in April issued a show-cause notice to the property owner, warning that demolition orders could be issued and the land restored to its original condition.

The inspection report described the nightclub as a 550-square-metre hexagonal structure erected “in the water body”, with a kitchen on the ground floor and a restaurant area on the first floor, constructed with MS channel framework and coconut-leaf roofing.
However, according to minutes of the Authority’s October meeting, officials concluded that the structure lay “outside CRZ area” and therefore did not fall under their jurisdiction. Subsequently, the show-cause notice was discharged and proceedings were dropped.

The property owner had argued the same in his reply, insisting that the structures did not violate CRZ rules and were backed by permissions: a 1996 no-objection certificate from the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat for a restaurant, staff quarters and boundary walls, and a 2004 NOC for renovation.

Architect and urban planner Tahir Noronha questioned the Authority’s decision, stating that the order “is silent on concerns” raised in the complaints. He pointed out that while the nightclub itself may lie outside the mapped CRZ due to an error in the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), other structures such as floating jetties and a bar-like unit did fall within 100 metres of the Baga creek. He added that while floating jetties require prior permission, the bar-like structure made of steel and stone “would not have been allowed”.

GCZMA member secretary Sachin S Desai said the order was already publicly available online and maintained that the Authority follows the state-notified CZMP. He declined to comment on whether the structure is built on a salt pan or whether the adjoining water body has tidal influence.