According to sources, after the NGT issued two sets of orders in the dredging case undertaken by MPT, the port authorities agreed to comply with the directions issued to conduct public hearing as per the terms and conditions of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) notification 2006, however MPT challenged the second order before Supreme court where NGT had asked the MPT to restore dredged portion of navigational channel.
Thus, Supreme Court heard the appeal filed by MPT on Friday. The Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners’ Cooperative Society Ltd was represented by advocates Anitha Shenoy and
Dharani Subramaniam, while MPT case was pleaded by Advocate General (AG) Mukul Rohatgiri and Anish R Shah.
On behalf of MPT, AG Mukul Rohatgi, submitted that the petitioner (MPT) was willing to abide by the direction issued by the Tribunal for a public hearing in terms of the EIA Notification, 2006. He submitted that this matter could stand over by 8 weeks with a view to await the outcome of the public hearing. He also undertakes to keep the Bank guarantee furnished by the petitioner validated pending further orders from this Court. The matter has now been adjourned and it is likely to be heard on January 20, 2017.
“We are not opposing the NGT order passed with regards to Public hearing. In the present case before Supreme Court, we ourselves informed the SC that we are ready to go for public hearing within a period of eight weeks. Also we had only challenged the second order of NGT before SC as it was ordered by NGT that we should restore the already dredged area of navigational channel, which is not possible” MPT Chairman I Jeyakumar told Herald.
He further said “We also agree that there were some procedural lacuna with regards to Public hearing which will now be complied. Also now we have already sent a request to Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for conducting public hearing. I hope that after 30 days public hearing will take place once the report is ready, we will again present our case before Supreme Court”.
