TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal today directed a petrol pump owner, accused of clearing an area of more then 15,000 sq mts of greenery, to pay Rs 7-odd lakh to the government to replant the area.
The tribunal also asked the Collector to initiate proceedings for breach of the sanad condition (dated 02.04.2008 and the corrigendum dated 08.04.2008). It has called for revocation of the sanad if the cost of plantation and penalty (imposed by the Collector) were not deposited.
The principal bench of the NGT directed the South Goa Collector to initiate proceedings within a period of one month and to inform the tribunal’s registrar of the results within two months.
The pump owner has been directed not to operate his petrol pump till he deposits the cost of plantation cleared by him.
“However, having regard to the fact that he cleared excessive area of 15,500 sq mtrs, we direct that the petrol-filling station shall not be allowed to operate till Satyawan B Prabhudessai deposits an amount of Rs 7,25,000 as penal cost for plantation with the State government.”
The tribunal said that the re-plantation will have to be done under the supervision of the Forest Department and the amount has to be credited to Forest Department. But he is not required to take new permission from the Collector, ruled the tribunal.
The incident was brought to light by Nisarga Nature Club.
The NGT bench consisting of Justice V R Kingaonkar, judicial member and expert members Dr P C Mishra, P S Rao, Ranjan Chatterjeea and Bikram Singh Sajwan, passed a common order on a review application by Prabhudessai, who sought review of judgment dated February 21, 2013, and the review application by Nisarga Nature Club who sought review of the judgment passed in the application No 29/2012 and recall of the final order passed, where the application was dismissed.