Team Herald
PANJIM: The Command Area Development Board (CADB) for the Tillari Irrigation Project has finally sanctioned development scheme worth Rs 264.86 crore for the three talukas of Bicholim, Bardez and Pernem falling under the command area of Tillari Irrigation Project.
The schemes involve promotion of agriculture and irrigation related projects like construction of canals and bandharas. No other non-agricultural activity is allowed in the
More than Rs 264 crore approved under Tillari Irrigation Project
for three talukascommand area.
The Bicholim taluka has command area of 5,130 hectares, while the Bardez taluka has 5,137 hectares command area and 4,254 hectares of Pernem taluka is under command area.
The scheme was notified ahead of hearing of contempt petition filed by activists Swapnesh Sherlekar and three others Dattaguru Kavlekar, Sunil Gadekar and Pramod Naique.
The Development Scheme was prepared by the Command Area Development (CAD) Board for the Tillari Irrigation Project in 2015. The government had also invited objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby in April 2015.
But as no steps were taken, activists Swapnesh Sherlekar and three others approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking directions to the State government to reconstitute the CAD Board.
The petitioners had also prayed that the Board be directed not to allow conversion and development within such command area.
During the hearing on October 16, the State government had told the Court that the second Command Area Development Board for the TIP Project discussed the matter and sanctioned the scheme and approved for its final notification under Section 18 of the Goa CAD Act, 1997.
A notification was to be issued within a period of four weeks. But on November 25, the government further sought additional three weeks to notify the scheme.
Earlier in June last year, the High Court had disposed of PIL writ petition after the government submitted to the Court that the Scheme will be notified within a period of six months. But as the scheme was not notified, the petitioners filed a contempt petition in March this year seeking that the member secretary of CAD Board be directed to comply with the Court order.