As the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Western Zone Bench in Pune, refrained from granting a stay on the ongoing land acquisition for the proposed high-level Borim Bridge, the next and possibly final hearing on the matter has now been listed for September 15.
Although the applicants — primarily farmers and local environmental activists — had urged the NGT to halt the process until key environmental clearances were obtained, the tribunal’s recent order does notreflect any interim relief.
The petitioners were seeking directions to pause land acquisition activities, citing serious ecological and legal oversights. However, with the order now released, it has become clear that their request for a stay has not been accepted at this stage.
Environmental activist Abhijit Prabhudesai told O Heraldo that the written ruling issued by the tribunal contains no reference to a stay, despite strong submissions made during the hearing.
“The Tribunal verbally indicated in open court that the petitioners may consider seeking relief through the High Court, especially concerning the acquisition of land. However, this verbal guidance was not recorded in the official written order,” stated Prabhudesai.
Meanwhile, a separate group of affected farmers from the same locality has already approached the High Court, seeking an injunction to halt land acquisition activities related to the Borim bridge construction.
Their legal petition is aimed at obtaining an urgent stay order, given the absence of such relief from the NGT.
The Loutolim-based farmers had earlier approached the NGT, demanding that no construction activity be undertaken without securing prior Environmental Clearance (EC), as mandated by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
Their petition named several authorities, including the Chief Secretary of Goa, officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
The farmers have requested the tribunal to instruct the concerned authorities to either re-evaluate or redesign the proposed alignment of the new bridge. They argue that the current blueprint neglects to assess the impact on sensitive ecological zones, including CRZ regions, forested lands, and areas crucial for the livelihoods of local communities.
They also emphasised that the project, in its present form, could significantly harm the environmental balance of the region. The Tribunal has scheduled the next hearing in September to address the broader environmental issues raised in the petition.