Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jul 22: The demolition drive against structures allegedly violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms at Temwada beach in Morjim continued for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, with authorities razing a structure owned by local resident Dilip Morje.
Officials from various government departments, accompanied by police personnel and heavy machinery, reached the site early in the morning to carry out the operation. Bulldozers and JCB machines were used to demolish the club structure, which was completely levelled after several hours.
The demolition was briefly halted as ceiling fans, furniture and other belongings remained inside the building. After the items were removed, the operation resumed despite light rainfall and the remaining portions of the structure were demolished under police security.
The action comes days after Dilip Morje and his son, Dhruv Morje, were arrested on charges of allegedly assaulting an advocate during a site inspection related to the case.
During the demolition, Dilip Morje's wife appealed to the government to spare what she described as their ancestral home.
She claimed the property was legally constructed and that all necessary permissions had been obtained. She urged the government to grant justice and protect their ancestral house.
She further said that even if the authorities demolished the entire house, the family would continue to live on the land by building a hut, insisting they would never abandon their ancestral property.
The demolition drive has triggered protests from local residents, who alleged that similar CRZ violations exist in several coastal areas across Goa but enforcement action is disproportionately directed at local residents and members of the fishing community.
Locals claimed that complaints had also been filed against tourism projects and large resorts in the Morjim area for alleged CRZ violations, and questioned what action had been taken against those establishments.
They also sought equal enforcement of the law, alleging that influential individuals were being treated differently from local residents.
Residents further claimed that Dilip Morje had been granted a Sanad under the Goa government's Majhe Ghar scheme. They questioned why the alleged official recognition of the property under the scheme was not taken into consideration during the demolition proceedings.