INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - AUGUST 2006
THE MONTH THAT WAS...

SEA CHANGE: GOA PLANS TO DEMOLISH BEACHFRONT UNITS

PURCHASING a seaside property in Goa could now well be at your own risk. The state government has decided to come down heavily and demolish illegal buildings along Goa's coast that violate the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), which lays down certain limits on construction along Goa's ecologically sensitive coastal and river belts.

Nearly 350 cases of CRZ violations have been identified by state government, of which 10 buildings have already been demolished. These violations are along the northern coastal belt stretching from Harambol to Calangute; consisting privately owned holiday homes, hotels and also resorts, apart from extensions to homes of locals residing in the area.

Adds Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment Dr. Wilfred D'Souza, “Government is very serious in this issue, efforts are on to punish such violators”.

Nearly 75% of Goa 's 105 kilometre coastline falls under the Coastal Regulations Zone dated 1991. This stipulates that no construction shall be permitted up to 500 metre from High Tide Line on beaches and up to 100 metre for rivers.