The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has imposed an environmental compensation penalty of Rs 39.5 crore on the owner of a property in Siolim, marking one of the highest fines for environmental damage in the state. This penalty is to recover compensation for the destruction of ecosystems, including mangroves, sand dunes, mud flats, and salt marshes, caused by violations that spanned over seven years.
The decision came after the violator challenged the cost calculation, arguing that the penalty should only apply to the damaged areas. However, the GCZMA upheld its calculation, emphasizing that the damage to four different ecosystems had to be addressed in full. The penalty was calculated based on a formula approved by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and the GCZMA reinforced the application of the “polluter pays” principle. The case dates back to 2012 when residents of Vaddy, Siolim, first raised concerns over environmental violations at the property. These included obstructing the sluice gate, filling the lagoon with mud, constructing a concrete platform along the Chapora river, and erecting a boundary wall along the riverbanks. Despite directives from the GCZMA in 2017 to restore the land to its original state, progress was slow. In 2018, the GCZMA found that the violator had failed to comply with key restoration instructions.
In response, the GCZMA requested that the Bardez deputy collector ensure compliance and recover costs as arrears of land revenue. Legal battles continued, with the violator challenging the GCZMA’s orders in the NGT, only to have their appeals dismissed twice. In 2024, the Goa High Court intervened, ordering the GCZMA to recover the environmental compensation from the violator. The NGT had also directed in 2022 that the violator comply with GCZMA’s instructions or face coercive action. A joint inspection conducted in June 2024 further confirmed the extent of the excavation and violation, leading to the final determination of the compensation amount. The violator’s legal team argued that the compensation should be calculated only for the damaged area, but the GCZMA rejected this claim, stating that the damage had affected multiple ecosystems across the entire property. The fine, according to the GCZMA, is crucial in ensuring that the violator pays for the harm caused to the environment over the years. This penalty serves as a reminder of the strict environmental regulations in Goa’s Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and underscores the state’s commitment to protecting its fragile ecosystems from unchecked development.
