Team Herald
PANJIM: In its affidavit filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa, Parmesh Construction Company Limited or Bhutani Infra stated that it is in the process of applying for fresh environmental clearance (EC) for its proposed multi-family dwellings and villas at Savorfond, Sancoale, which is vehemently opposed by the villagers.
The company filed its affidavit to the writ petition by Peter D’Souza and four others.
Representing the petitioners, Adv Richard Almeida said, “They (Bhutani Infra) have said that they have stopped the work and applied for environmental clearance. They have submitted that they will not start work until and unless they get environmental clearance. They have said that they have appointed an agency to apply for the environmental clearance. They have said that they could not apply for EC due to factors such as excessive rainfall. The company has so far obtained development permission and construction licence. They do not have fresh environmental clearance.”
Adv Almeida said that he had questioned the validity of the old environmental clearance and the company has stated that they have engaged an agency to do soil testing. The
petitioners also challenged the development permission which the Bhutani Infra has obtained. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) NGT had passed an order in September last year but in three months the company was given the conversion sanad and the petitioners sought to know how they could do it. The petitioners have challenged conversion sanad.
The Bhutani Infra was granted development permission by the MPDA on February 2, 2024, while the Sancoale Village Panchayat issued a construction licence on March 11 last year.
The Parmesh Construction Company Ltd had purchased 35,050 square metres of land at Savorfond, Sancoale from the ANS Construction Pvt Ltd on July 14, 2023. It has conceptualised construction of multifamily dwellings and villas.
The villagers of Sancoale are vehemently opposing the “controversial” housing project proposed by the Bhutani Infra as it would destroy the environment and the local community.