PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Zone Bench, Pune, has admitted a plea filed by a group of citizens from Panjim challenging the construction of an arched bridge connecting the new Mandovi river promenade to Dayanand Bandodkar Road over the St Inez creek.
The group of petitioners, which includes former CCP councillor Patricia Pinto, have alleged that the construction of the arch bridge is being done by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) without obtaining any permission under the CRZ Notification, 2011, and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
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The petitioners have claimed that the NOC issued by Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to GSIDC was done without any study concerning its impact on the river and the St Inez creek. The petitioners have pointed out that the project also involves the construction of a permanent walkway-cum-cycling track along the riverbank touching the mouth of the creek, using cement and concrete.
“There is a wall/embankment of concrete being constructed along the river bank, which could affect the geomorphology of the riparian coastline adversely. The area where this has been allowed in CRZ-I and hence no such construction can be permitted,” they said. The construction of the bridge is part of the walkway-cum-cycle track project funded by the Smart City Mission.
It will cover a 2.5-km stretch from Miramar beach to ESG. The GSIDC is executing this project for the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL).
Environmental activist and educator Vishal Rawlley, who is one of the petitioners, said that the said project has come up with no environmental or hydrology studies, and also claimed that there is no study done of the sites where the sand deposition takes place.
