Team Herald
PANJIM: The developer of the controversial housing project coming up near Oxel Spring has agreed in court to halt fresh construction at the site till the Town and Country Planning (TCP) and Water Resources Departments (WRD) have conducted a site inspection.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa, where the matter was being heard on Friday, has given the two departments time till November 14 to complete a joint site inspection to assess the impact of the project on the spring.
The division bench of Justices MS Karnik and Valmiki Menezes also observed that constructing villas was not a necessity, but a luxury, while the spring had to be protected from any environmental damage.
The court was hearing a PIL writ petition filed by Suraj Chodankar and Avertino Miranda. Additional Government Advocate Deep Shirodkar sought time to file affidavits on behalf of TCP Department and WRD. In its affidavit, the TCP will have to give details of the scientific studies conducted and the technical experts consulted in order to assess the environmental impact of the project before relevant permissions were given. Oxel Spring is just 33 metres from the project site.
Prodded by the court to examine the matter closely, the Oxel Village Panchayat has assured the court that it will act on the residents' representation to the panchayat. The matter will be heard next on November 14.