Plans to build cops station at Betul hit roadblock

Plans to build cops station at Betul hit roadblock
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: A proposal by the Goa police to build a coastal police station at Betul to tighten security, in the wake of increased threat perception in the country, has been put on hold as the plot identified falls within the “no development zone” of river Sal.
With no solution in sight, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has now written to the ministry of forests and environment (MoEF) requesting them to allow the police department to construct in the “no development zone” as it is a matter concerning coastal security of the state.
“We are following up the matter with MoEF as it is an important matter of security of the state and we are also concerned,” said GCZMA member secretary Michael D’Souza.
GCZMA has requested the MoEF to clarify if approval can be given to set-up the coastal police station as it is for the purpose of security.
The area falls within CRZ III and the area up to 200 mts from the High Tide Line is a NDZ except for repairs of existing authorised structures and other permitted activities like gardens, parks etc.
A High Level Empowered Committee of the Central Ministry of Home Affairs has approved three police stations under coastal security plan for the state and an amount of Rs 74.10 lakh has been sanctioned for the three police stations. The state government has already received the first installment of Rs 37.05 lakh and the entire amount has to be spent by 2009-2010.
“Coastal security is our primary concern now and the department is following up the matter with the central ministry. Once the building is ready we can also increase the staff strength of the coastal police,” added SP (Coastal police) Omprakash Kurtarkar.
At present, the coastal police stations at Siolim, Betul and Harbour are functioning either from existing outposts or police station buildings.
Therefore, once the grant was sanctioned the government decided to construct new buildings for coastal police stations at Siolim and Betul.
Whereas the existing old building at Harbour was proposed for renovation for coastal police station.
While the work at Siolim has already commenced and even the work on a jetty at Chapora has been approved, the construction work of coastal police station at Betul was put on hold as the site chosen for the construction falls in CRZ III. While coastal police station at Siolim would cost about Rs 26.6 lakh, the estimates for the construction at Betul is Rs 28.7 lakh.
Besides, government sources informed that though there is an old, dilapidated structure belonging to the Captain of Ports, the plot in Betul is still in the name of private party in form XIV.
Thus though the police has got NOC from Captain of Ports, they can’t construct. Besides, the police feel that the area in which the structure exists is less and they require at least 600 square metres to construct the new building.
“The police want to construct their structure adjoining to it so that they can have easy access to their vessels anchored on the shore. Besides adequate land is not available in the area beyond the NDZ for construction of the coastal office”, said a government official.
“Coastal police can also be of great help to us as they have jurisdiction over the coastal belt. Besides, keeping surveillance of the coast, they can also give us information of any illegal structure that comes up in the coastal area,” added D’Souza.

August 24, 2008,The Times of India, Goa edition