The ‘death trap’ was operating on land that was originally a salt pan — an ecologically sensitive zone, as marked in government records.
The documents accessed by CNN-News18 expose the reality of the now infamous and disputed land on which Birch by Romeo Lane was illegally constructed in Goa. The ‘death trap’ was operating on land that was originally a salt pan — an ecologically sensitive zone, as marked in government records.
A closer examination of the map reveals that this is the very area where the restaurant/nightclub run by the Luthra brothers was set up.
Document 1: Map of the Location
CNN-News18 has learnt that the map, which is the layout plan of the property in question, establishes that the entire region is classified by the Goa government as an ecologically sensitive zone. This means the land cannot be converted into a settlement zone under existing land-use rules. The area shown as a settlement zone on the map was originally declared a salt pan.
Conclusively, this land was never meant to be used for any commercial activity. It was originally owned by Pradeep Ghadi Amolkar, who is also the whistleblower and petitioner in this case.
Documents 2 & 3: Complaint and Demolition Notice
Document 2: The complaint submitted to the Town Planning Department is dated December 18, 2023 (18.12.2023). The contents of the complaint highlight four major irregularities and violations occurring on the ecologically sensitive land by the two respondents. It clearly states that the area is a no-development zone and warns that such construction could lead to a major tragedy.