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The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has imposed a fine of INR 77.9 lakh on a developer for building a ground-plus-four-storey structure within 50 metres of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area in Arambol. The violation was discovered following a local's complaint in 2023, which led the high court to intervene. After an inspection by GCZMA experts, it was revealed that the structure violated CRZ-III and CRZ-1A zones. The developer was held accountable for environmental damage, and the compensation was calculated based on the scale of the violation.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) recently imposed a hefty environmental compensation of INR 77.9 lakh on a developer for constructing a ground-plus-four-storey building within 50 metres of the CRZ area in Arambol. This violation came to light after a local resident approached the high court in 2023, alleging that authorities were not taking action against the illegal construction in the CRZ area. Advertisement
The high court had previously directed the Pernem Police Inspector and Arambol panchayat to seal the structure. However, in November 2023, the court expressed dissatisfaction, noting that its order for demolition had been misinterpreted by the panchayat, which caused delays in the process. The court further instructed the Directorate of Panchayat to recover the costs associated with these delays.
In July 2024, the GCZMA conducted a site inspection and discovered that the construction was located within a no-development zone of CRZ-III and within the mangrove buffer zone classified as CRZ-1A. The structures were not fully demolished by the violator, prompting the GCZMA to highlight that the developer should be held accountable for the environmental harm caused.
The GCZMA outlined that the developer must pay compensatory damages to restore the damaged environment. This includes ecological restoration, removing any construction residue, and ensuring the land is returned to its natural state. The authority pointed out that the site remained uncleared despite multiple inspections. The damages were calculated based on a formula that considered the years of violation, the area affected, and a per-square-metre charge of INR 2,590, which had been previously established by the GCZMA in its study on coastal damage. This same formula has been used in past cases of CRZ violations to determine environmental compensation.
Based on this formula, the GCZMA arrived at the compensation amount of INR 77.9 lakh, emphasising that the violations in the NDZ area had significantly harmed the local ecology and biodiversity. This formula, which was first introduced by the GCZMA in its earlier study on environmental compensation, has been consistently applied to assess damages in similar coastal violations. In the past, developers have faced fines and demolition orders based on this same calculation method, underlining the importance of upholding CRZ regulations in protecting coastal ecosystems.
The environmental compensation of INR 77.9 lakh imposed by the GCZMA serves as a reminder of the strict regulations surrounding coastal construction in Goa. With the violations damaging both the ecology and biodiversity of the area, the fine highlights the importance of complying with the Coastal Regulation Zone guidelines. The legal and financial consequences for such violations demonstrate the state's commitment to environmental protection and restoration, building on the framework established in previous cases to ensure future compliance.
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