The Bombay High Court on Wednesday permitted the temporary de-sealing of a museum operating from an illegal structure in Arpora, Goa, to allow staff to feed aquarium fish. The owner informed the court that the facility houses 84 aquariums containing 10,000 fish representing 150 species, which require regular feeding to survive.
Court Orders Temporary Access for Fish Care
Observing that the fish would likely perish if left unfed, the High Court directed the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat to de-seal the museum for four hours each on Thursday and Saturday. This access is intended solely for staff to feed and maintain the fish and aquariums, subject to the payment of costs amounting to Rs 20,000. After the designated periods, the panchayat must reapply the seal.
Background of the PIL
The order was issued during the hearing of a public interest litigation concerning illegal land-filling and constructions in paddy fields at Arpora-Nagoa. The High Court had previously directed the demolition of these structures. On Tuesday, the court held that no commercial activities may be conducted from the structures and instructed the secretary of the Arpora panchayat to keep 21 illegal structures—where demolition orders have been issued—sealed until the director of panchayats decides on pending appeals.
All 21 structure owners had appealed against the demolition orders to the director of panchayats, and some obtained a stay on demolition. A division bench comprising Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar on Tuesday clarified that even if a stay has been obtained, no activity of any nature should be conducted in these structures until the appeals are resolved.
Earlier Proceedings
In March, the High Court sought answers from the deputy collector regarding why the demolition squad had not been deployed. This followed the panchayat's statement that a demolition squad had been requisitioned from the deputy collector/demolition squad in Bardez, with several reminders sent but no action taken.
In April 2024, the court directed the panchayat to explain why approximately 40 show-cause notices issued in 2023 and a few in 2024—alleging illegal land-filling and construction—had not been disposed of, and why demolition orders remained unexecuted. The panchayat was also ordered to submit a timeline for executing the demolition orders.
