FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has stayed all the proceedings pursuant to the public hearings on the Coastal Zone Management Plans held on March 7, till it examines the matter and hears the petitioners as well as the Goa government.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Dipankar Datta, and Justice Mahesh Sonak has also issued notices to the respondents, including the government, as it is hearing petitions filed by NGO Goa Foundation challenging the public hearings held on March 7.
NGO Director Claude Alvares said that the High Court has stayed further proceedings in both South and North Goa public hearings on CZMPs and adjourned the matter for further hearing to April 6. The State government has been asked to reply by April 1 while the date of the rejoinder is April 5.
During the hearing of a separate application earlier this month, the government had said that the public hearings on projects in the CRZ will be held only after the finalisation of the CZMP.
In yet another plea held before March 7, the High Court had disposed of it as it sought adjourning the public hearing. Traditional Fishermen’s Association and Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott had approached the high court seeking an order or direction to quash and set aside the public hearings. The petitioners had also sought to stay the public hearings till the time new dates, places and times of public hearings are notified afresh and that directions be issued to the government to first explain the CZMPs to the people at the panchayat level, before going ahead with the hearings.
The high court had then disposed of the petition granting liberty to the petitioners to approach NGT.
