PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa disposed of a writ petition filed by an environmentalist seeking to restrain M/s Bennet and Bernard Custom Homes Pvt Ltd from cutting trees at Assagao in Bardez taluka.
During the hearing, M/s Bennet and Bernard Custom Homes Pvt Ltd submitted a letter dated December 14, 2023 addressed to the Deputy Conservator of Forest, North Goa, stating that they had already cut 48 trees from survey No. 128/8 of village Assagao as per the permission granted on October 6, 2023.
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The letter was submitted to the Deputy Conservator of Forest on December 14, a day before the High Court passed an interim order restraining the respondent from felling any further trees from survey number 128/8.
The Court observed that the felling of trees was prior to passing of the interim order on December 15, 2023. The writ petition filed by Avertino Miranda of Panjim was basically challenging the permission granted by the Tree Officer and for restraining the respondent from felling the trees.
Now since the trees are already cut on December 14, 2023, nothing survives in the present writ petition and it stands disposed of, the Court while keeping all contentions of the petitioner open with regard to any other proceedings.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel Adv Nigel Costa Frias had submitted that the land in question is a private forest and no reasons are forthcoming in the order of the Tree Officer as well as the Appellate Authority for the need of cutting of trees.
