Goa’s famous beach shack Curlies to be demolished

The order paves the way for the demolition of the structures along the beach occupied by the popular beach shack.

Curlies, a major tourist draw in Anjuna, was recently in the spotlight following the death of Haryana BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat. Phogat had allegedly visited Curlies the night before her death on August 23. In a separate offence under the NDPS Act, the Goa Police arrested Edwin Nunes, the owner of the shack, after Methamphetamine, allegedly given to Phogat, was found in the bathroom of the shack. Nunes has been granted bail by a court in Mapusa.

The GCZMA had in its order on July 21, 2016 directed the demolition of the structures belonging to the beach shack under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It had said the structures were constructed illegally in a ‘no development zone’ that fell under CRZ-III. The GCZMA had directed the closure of the night club, restaurant and bar. It had also directed the Excise Commissioner to withdraw the establishment’s liquor permit, the electricity department to disconnect its power supply, and the Village Panchayat of Anuja to withdraw its trade license.

Linet Nunes, who ran the restaurant with Edwin Nunes, had filed the appeal against the GCZMA’s order before the NGT. A complaint against the illegal structures built by the shack owners was filed on August 17, 2015 after which a show-cause notice was issued to its owners. An inquiry was conducted and a report was filed by the deputy collector in February 2016 which was contested by the complainant Kashinath Shetye before the GCZMA and the NGT. In March 2016, the NGT disposed of the petition directing the GCZMA to allow the complainant to contest the report. After that, the GCZMA ordered re-inspection of the premises. A report was submitted after the re-inspection on July 15, 2016 that found “illegal constructions of permanent nature” which were in violation of CRZ notification of 2011. The GCZMA accepted the report and held that the structures were built after 2003 and were not seen in the Google images of 2003.

Counsel for Nunes told the NGT that after the second inspection report was submitted, the owners of the shack were given no opportunity to be heard by the GCZMA. The GCZMA, however, said that Nunes had not appeared at the time of the second inspection in 2016 and had not contested it at the time.

The NGT held that the structures on the ground at present were not those for which the village panchayat had granted an NOC in 1991 or for those which house tax receipts were issued. It said that it found no merit in the appeal and refused to interfere with the decision of the GCZMA.