Team Herald

PORVORIM: The State government is contemplating moving the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking to exempt certain State and public related projects from its recent order which has restricted the government from granting new permissions in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) until finalisation of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) by March, 2018.

“I have already moved the file to seek a legal view on the NGT order. We are contemplating either to move NGT to amend its order by granting certain relaxation or to move some other appropriate judicial authority challenging the order,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. 

He said that the order will be in place till finalisation of the coastal zone management plan by the Centre. “The order not to grant permission is in force till March, next year,” Parrikar said responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral. 

The Curchorem MLA had sought to know whether the NGT order will have any implication on development projects in the coastal areas or CRZ areas. “Will government challenge the order before Supreme Court?” he asked. 

“If required State will approach NGT to amend their order so that it is not applicable for certain important projects. We can also consider moving to other forum,” Parrikar responded. 

“We can decide the permission for these projects on case-to-case basis,” he said referring to the possibility of moving to NGT to amend the order. “If required we may go to any legal forum,” he said without elaborating on the forum.

The matter came up again in another question tabled by Congress MLA Dayanand Sopte, who demanded to know the reason behind non-granting of CRZ clearance to public utility projects at Mandrem coastal belt.

“Everything is getting stuck due to the NGT order. We are trying to work out. I would not like to comment anything in detail but this is how things happen in our country,” Chief Minister responded.