TEAM HERALD
PANJIM/PUNE: In a significant development the Goa government has agreed to suspend construction work on the Tiracol side of the contentious and controversial Tiracol bridge, between Querim Beach and the Tiracol River, which the government is building to facilitate the Golf Course and resort villas project developed by Leading Hotels for the Jatia group, to be finally operated by the Four Seasons Group.
The decision to suspend work was mentioned in the National Green Tribunal by the Advocate General of Goa, Mr Atmaram Nadkarni and recorded today by the NGT when it passed its order adjourning the matter till December 22 for consideration of stay on the entire bridge project.
Herald as a part of its sustained investigations into the Golf Course and Resort project as well as the Tiracol bridge, riddled with clear irregularities and procedural lapses published a story “Troubled bridge over Tiracol” in its December 7 edition. There it mentioned that the bridge terminates on the northern side is in identified forest zone, namely Survey Nos 14 and 15 of Tiracol village, for which no prior approval under the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 has been obtained. This was one of the 10 reasons, Herald pointed out why the bridge constriction was bad in law.
Goa Foundation, the petitioner in this matter before the NGT stated that the access to the Tiracol bridge from the Tiracol side passes through two survey numbers which have been declared as private forest by the Expert Committee on Private Forests. Goa Foundation alleged that the GSIDC had not procured the necessary diversion order under the FCA for the construction. The Advocate General conceded both the relevant survey numbers were proposed to be classified as private forest. Therefore, permission was needed.
Adv Ms Norma Alvares, appearing for Goa Foundation, pressed for a stay. The National Green Tribunal said it needed clarification on some aspects of the CRZ notification. The Tribunal was not satisfied with the affidavit filed by the MoEF in the matter. They therefore directed that the officer concerned clarify those aspects.
In view of the clarification sought, the request for stay on the other — Querim side — was adjourned for consideration till the 22nd.
The Goa Foundation informed the Tribunal on Wednesday that it was not opposed to the construction. However, it only wanted the procedures laid down for environment and CRZ clearance to be properly implemented, if the Tiracol estuary was to be protected from permanent damage. As of today, the project not only does not have forest clearance, it has no EIA done as required under the CRZ notification. Till these are done, bridge construction is illegal, the Goa Foundation said.
The Captain of Ports had issued a conditional order approving the bridge. The order was that the GSIDC would get an EIA done on the project’s impact prior to construction. It is now learnt that the Captain of Ports has withdrawn this condition, effectively going back on its earlier order and stating that an EIA was not needed.
As Herald has reported, the Web Structures Pvt Ltd, which claims to be “one of the world’s leading exponents of environmentally-aware engineering”, has stated that it is designing a “stunning” 500 metre bridge over the Tiracol River and will form a new transport link between the neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra”.
In a press release, issued through ACN Newswire, the company has stated that this bridge “is a part of the development” of the Jatia Group to develop a high-end luxury resort to be operated by the iconic Toronto headquartered Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
