NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Comunidade of Murda in Tiswadi to clear illegally filled land in mangrove areas by March 31. The court said the comunidade must comply with the recommendations of the Task Force report, following its order dated March 13, 2025, which had emphasised the urgency of removing the landfill.
The work will be overseen by representatives of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and the Administrator of Comunidades, Central Zone, who have been instructed to jointly file a report before the court by April 5. The court expressed concern over compliance with its earlier order and the environmental damage caused by the widening of the bund, as detailed in the Task Force report.
The report, dated October 4, 2024, identified illegal land filling in Survey Nos. 93/1 to 93/10 of Murda village and recommended immediate removal. The court said the GCZMA order has not been implemented despite more than a year having passed.
Earlier, the court had directed the comunidade to remove the landfill, dismantle the road and restore the original bund in Survey No. 93/1. An affidavit filed
by the comunidade stated that it had completed the identification of the illegal landfill and had appointed a contractor as early as March 23, 2025.
The court directed the GCZMA Member Secretary to coordinate with the Deputy Collector of Tiswadi to identify, demolish and remove the structures. The demolition squad, together with the Deputy Collector, has been instructed to ensure compliance with the order by February 28.
