Probe ordered into ‘illegal’ art installation along intertidal zone

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

The chairman of District Level Coastal Monitoring Committee (DLCMC) Nila Mohanan has decided to take suo motu cognizance of The Navhind Times report related to sand accretion due to erection of illegal art installation in the intertidal zone of River Mandovi in complete violation of CRZ notification 2011.

The structure is erected on a sand-beach portion, in CRZ-I area, which is formed between the river Mandovi on one side and land surface of Campal children’s park on the other, through which creek water, entering obliquely from the St Inez  passes through the exit outlet.

According to CRZ rules no permission is granted to erect any temporary structures in intertidal zone, but no government agencies are aware about who have installed the structure and which agency has given the permission

When contacted the tourism department and coastal zone management authority did not show any interest in removing the illegal art installation erected on the inter-tidal zone simply because there are no complaints received against such a structure. However neither the artisan nor the agencies have thought of removing the plastic bottle art structure.

The state government has constituted a ‘District Level Coastal Monitoring Committee’ (DLCMC) headed by district collector to assist the state coastal zone management authority for enforcing, monitoring and acting on cases of alleged violations of the CRZ areas declared under the CRZ Notification, 2011.

According to environmentalist and scientist the huge plastic art structure in the no development zone is in complete violation of CRZ rules and has also contributed to sand accumulation at the northern edge of the children’s park by holding the sand surrounding its iron columns during high tides resulting in the stagnation of St Inez creek water which flows into the River Mandovi.

The improper zoning of the plantation by the forest department beyond the high tide line by planting trees and mangroves along the foreshore of sand beach, which strongly holds and stabilize the land, has paved way for sand accretion, however experts feel there should have been a sand dune covered with vegetation and pathway to walk.