GCZMA says can't review its own order, drops stop work order to hotel

Panaji: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has lifted its stop-work order and withdrawn a show-cause notice against a hotel in Bambolim. The authority confirmed that the construction aligns with the approved plan and permissions granted in 2021.Earlier this year, local MLA Viresh Borkar and several NGOs raised concerns about a seaside wall being built by the hotel, urging the GCZMA to reassess its permissions. However, the GCZMA stated it “lacks the jurisdiction” to review its own decisions, noting that the permission is valid until 2026, thus legitimising the ongoing construction.The GCZMA highlighted that erosion control measures are permissible in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) as per the 2011 notification.

“The claim of the respondent was that the respondent’s property was above the beach to a height of at least 1.5-2m and was always marked by a rubble retaining wall, which marked the boundary between the property and that of the beach. It was noted that the respondent sought permission to protect their property and prevent flooding and soil erosion,” the GCZMA noted.Complainants, including environmentalist Claude Alvares, argued that a gabion wall should have been constructed, as previously directed by the National Green Tribunal for anti-erosion structures.

The hotel countered that a gabion wall previously installed could not withstand wave impact, asserting that a cyclone, not regular wave activity, caused the earlier wall’s collapse.The hotel maintained that the GCZMA’s permission was valid and unexhausted, questioning the issuance of the show-cause notice. The GCZMA clarified that the hotel also secured permissions from the town and country planning department on Dec 12, 2021, and March 26, 2025, along with a no objection certificate from the panchayat on Feb 21, 2022.