Canacona: Pamela Rodrigues a resident of Loliem had earlier filed a PIL in high court against various government authorities for filling of river with soil amongst other things at the Mashem river creek, with CoP failing to act upon the directives of the high court the petitioner has filed a contempt of court against CoP.
Speaking to Herald after filing an additional affidavit on 27th September Ms. Pamela Rodrigues the petitioner said that the high court of Bombay in its order dated Sept 4th had observed that the committee comprising of GCZMA officials had in its visit to the bypass linking Charasta to Mashem, they observed tons of soil dumped at the full stretch of earlier riverine low lying marshy area under the Galgibagha-Mashem bridge construction site, on the basis of this observations the court had directed the CoP to take steps to clear the soil and place the photographs on record with in one week from 4th September.
In her additional affidavit Ms. Rodrigues has prayed before the court to initiate contempt proceedings against CoP for breach of the orders of the high court.
When this correspondent spoke to Dr Antonio Mascarenhas, former Scientist, NIO and former member, GCZMA for his comments on the ongoing works and violations by the contractor of the bypass linking Charasta to Mashem on NH66 which once commissioned will reduce the distance between Canacona to Karwar by 10 kms, he said that a sizeable area of the Mashem creek is filled with earth it can easily interfere, block or upset the normal flow of estuarine water or alter coastal currents.
“In a GCZMA meeting I had specifically raised these issues after the field inspections. But unfortunately, I was the only one raising these warnings. So the project got cleared” Mascarenhas said. Adding further he said that a proper EIA study has to be done for such a massive project regarding these issues. But as it stands today, “the bridge over Maxem creek does not have a valid marine EIA” Mascarenhas concluded.
Mr. Manoj Prabhugaonkar an activist who stays close to the NH66 bypass road speaking to Herald said that there exists atleast ten thousand truck loads of soil dumped on various occasions in the Mashem creek and as per the laws river filling is not permitted.
