‘No need to send expert member back to click photos of violation, GCZMA report enough’

Panaji: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has turned down the proposition to get an expert member from Goa to visit a site again only to click photographs to satisfy an appellant. The applicant had asked the tribunal to get the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to produce photographs taken by the expert member during a site inspection held earlier.
The matter relates to alleged illegal cottages, constructed in violation of CRZ norms, at Ashvem, Mandrem.
The applicant had claimed that, while carrying out site inspection on August 27, 2022, the expert member had clicked photographs on his personal cellphone.
“The GCZMA in its reply affidavit has emphatically stated that no photographs were clicked by its expert member. However, in the same affidavit, it has also been proposed that, if further direction is issued by this tribunal, the concerned officer may visit the site and click the photographs,” the tribunal noted.
However, the tribunal said such action of sending the expert member back on site to click photographs wasn’t necessary. “We are of the view that since the GCZMA has already filed its report, therefore, whatever has been stated therein, can be looked into and appreciated with respect to the position of the spot. At this stage, we do not deem it proper to send the expert member again to click the photographs of the said site.”
The applicant’s claim was that the GCZMA, in one of its submissions before the NGT, had admitted that its expert member had taken photographs using his cellphone.
Based on the applicant’s prayer, the NGT has served notices to some additional alleged Delhi-based violators too, for the illegal constructions, and the main plea will be heard by the NGT on February 27.
The matter relates to alleged illegal cottages, constructed in violation of CRZ norms, at Ashvem, Mandrem. The applicant had claimed that, while carrying out site inspection on August 27, 2022, the expert member had clicked photographs on his personal cellphone