Fishermen from the village of Nerul, whose huts were to be demolished by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), have secured an interim stay order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). These huts, used to store fishing equipment, were facing demolition within 30 days as per a recent directive from the GCZMA citing their location in a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area. It may be recalled that the fishermen, backed by local fishing organisations, had objected to the demolition orders.
The NGT has now accepted an application from the group of fishermen contesting the GCZMA directive.
According to the fishermen’s submission before the NGT, the particular sheds in question have been in place since 1977. However, their response detailing this long-standing existence of the structures was seemingly ignored by the GCZMA, as it went unmentioned in the final demolition order issued by the state coastal authority.
In view of that, they filed an appeal before the NGT. During the hearing into this matter, the tribunal noted that the GCZMA’s demolition order was based on the use of impermissible materials like cement for constructing the sheds in the no-development zone of Nerul. However, the fishermen argued their case citing the CRZ Notification 2011, specifically the CRZ-III (iii) (l) clause, which allows for certain facilities for local fishing communities such as fish drying yards, net mending yards, and ice plants among others.
A key point raised by the fishermen and highlighted by the NGT is that their structures have stood since prior to 1991, a crucial factor which should have been considered by the GCZMA before issuing demolition orders but was seemingly overlooked. Recognising this potential oversight, the NGT has admitted the appeal and temporarily suspended the GCZMA’s demolition directive for further examination.
The tribunal’s decision provides relief to the Nerul fishermen who had been staring at the prospect of losing their storage sheds for fishing gear. As the matter proceeds for a fuller hearing, the stakes remain high for this coastal community defending their right to traditional fishing-related infrastructure against zoning regulations.