Team Herald
PANJIM: The government on Monday withdrew its petition before the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking to quash the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) levying a fine of Rs 10,000 per day for not being able to produce its report on private forests within the time stipulated by the tribunal.
When the writ petition came up for admission, the government attempted explaining to the high court on how NGT has no powers to impose a fine, but subsequently withdrew the plea with liberty to institute a statutory appeal. The court granted the leave with liberty.
During the hearing, the division bench sought to know why the government was not submitting the report. State Advocate General Devidas Pangam submitted that this conflicted with the natural justice of landowners while claiming that only a Judicial Magistrate First Class can levy such fines and not NGT.
The high court, however, insisted that the government should have complied with the NGT order. Justice M S Sonak said the court should examine whether the State or the officers responsible should pay the fine.
