SC rap for Goa luxury hotel

The general public cannot be deprived of natural resources like forests, rivers, beaches and water bodies, said the SC while directing a five-star hotel in Goa to demolish unauthorized construction, reports Bhadra Sinha.

The general public cannot be deprived of natural resources like forests, rivers, beaches and water bodies, said the Supreme Court while directing a five-star hotel in Goa to demolish unauthorized construction on Vainguinim Beach that denied locals access to the beach area.

HT Image

A bench headed by Justice B.N. Aggarwal issued the direction to Hotel Cidade de Goa and said: “Such rights are governed by the ‘public trust doctrine’ and people can move the courts for enforcing the right.”

The bench was perturbed to learn that the state government had turned a blind eye to the unauthorized construction and permitted private use of natural resources.