Ex-CJI, retd SC judge back Goa’s anti-zone change movement

Panaji: Former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and former Supreme Court justice Abhay Oka have announced their support for Goa’s ‘Enough is Enough’ movement.

Gavai said that “development must serve the people, preserve culture, and protect the future”, and said that he hoped that constitutional authorities give the demands raised by the movement “the serious consideration” they deserve.


Describing the ‘Enough is Enough’ movement as compelling, Gavai also agreed with the “right of Goans to remain stakeholders, not outsiders, in their own land”.

The movement, launched by retired Allahabad chief justice Ferdino Rebello, demanded immediate action on rampant land conversions, illegal hill cutting, and unregulated real estate development threatening Goa’s ecological balance.

Oka invoked constitutional obligations, saying that while every citizen has the fundamental duty to protect forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, it is also the collective duty of the state to protect the environment.

He warned that the state’s failure to perform its constitutional duties leads to ecosystem destruction and pollution, violating citizens’ fundamental right to live in a pollution-free environment under Article 21. “The authorities in Goa have additional responsibility. This state has a gift of natural beauty and a rich heritage. They have a duty to protect the same at any cost,” he said.

Rejecting the notion of development at environmental cost, Oka said, “Let us not destroy nature for so-called ‘development’ works. There can be no real development that takes place by destroying the environment.”

This endorsement by two former Supreme Court justices marks a significant moment for the movement, which is trying to galvanise widespread public support across Goa through mass meetings and protests.

The movement submitted a 10-point charter to chief minister Pramod Sawant, with key demands including the repeal of controversial Sections 17(2) and 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act that permit changes to zoning, land use, and floor area ratio (FAR).

The movement also seeks withdrawal of a 2023 TCP department circular permitting the use of unofficial topographic survey maps while permitting hill cutting.

Rebello, a former Cuncolim MLA, maintained that the movement is apolitical, emphasising it represents citizens’ concerns over water, land, environment, employment, and preservation of Goan identity.