10 reasons why the Tiracol Bridge should not be built
Kerim and Tiracol were always wonderful places where families went to for long drives and picnics. Childhood memories of many Goans are dotted with images of these two places. Very soon a new will replace the old. But locals aren’t giving up without a fight. At least not yet.
As 30-odd families are fighting to get back their land which was “sold” by their landlords to the developers of the golf course and resort villas project, there is another battle being fought. And this is against the Rs 76 crore bridge, which is being constructed, by the same engineering company, which is assisting in the resort and the golf course project (see story below).
But as Herald has exposed the manner in which the Environmental Clearance was sought and obtained for the resort and golf course project, the clearance for the Tiracol Bridge is riddled with anomalies and skirts the rules. In fact a writ petition filed by Goa Foundation clearly takes on even the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for not blocking the projects on the following grounds:
1 The bridge is constructed in the no-development zone of Kerim village where the no-development zone has been extended to 500 metres from the High Tide Line. There is already an existing bridge and ferry service. A project of this size, located in the river’s estuary, would also have to be subjected to Environmental Impact Assessment and an Environmental Management Plan.
2 A No Development Zone in a Coastal Regulation Zone area is not a zone for loading unnecessary construction or development, that too for private interests. Therefore the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority decision is, according to the petition, “without application of mind, and in violation of the procedure laid down in the CRZ notification 2011 for clearance of such projects and therefore needs to be quashed and set aside.”
3 The bridge project falls within the jurisdiction of the Kerim-Tiracol Panchayat and no permission has been obtained from the panchayat or any licence. Construction has commenced without land being acquired under the Land Acquisition Act.
4 The Tiracol residents use the ferry or the new existing bridge to cross over to Kerim, so the village of Tiracol is connected by both ferry and bridge with mainland Goa. The proposed bridge across the river is therefore not for them.
5 The petition states that the area where the bridge terminates on the northern side is in identified forest zone, namely Survey Nos 14 and 15 of Tiracol village, for which no prior approval under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 has been obtained.
6 The project proponents of the golf course project, Leading Hotels, Ltd, have in their replies to the State Environment Impact Assessment Committee stated that water for the project will be made available through pipelines drawing water from the Tillari Dam canals. This bridge, when constructed, will also be used to carry the water pipeline for the golf course project from the Tillari reservoir across the river.
7 The proposed construction would also impact on the estuary itself. The bridge will cost Rs 76.77 crore. Such a huge project cannot be constructed and certainly not in the No Development Zone of Kerim Beach without appropriate approvals, if indeed these can be granted and the activity be made permissible.
8 Environmental Impact Assessment, required to be done under the CRZ notification and by the Captain of Ports, has not been carried out. Post the GCZMA approval, Ministry of Environment and Forests approval is also required. The GCZMA NOC dated October 22, 2013 for the project, required it to procure other permissions prior to construction.
9 There is also an NOC dated August 28, 2013 from the Captain of Ports, which is conditional and which requires the party to carry out two crucial sets of environmental studies prior to obtaining the final NOC and starting construction.
10 The State of Goa was given 24 months time to prepare the Coastal Zone Management Plan CZMP and get it approved. It has defaulted in its obligation under the notification.
The Goa Foundation in its petition states “Without an approved CZMP all manner of projects are being approved without consideration of zoning as CRZ I, II or III and without consideration of “Hazards Line” which is also required to be demarcated in view of climate change and sea level rise, issues which the Central government is seized of.”
