PANJIM
The Bombay High Court at Goa on Tuesday disposed off an
application filed by Goa Foundation seeking directions to restrain the project
proponent of Mini India Project at Quelossim from undertaking any kind of civil
work within 95,000 sq mtrs of land falling within the coastal regulation zone
(CRZ).
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While disposing off the application without granting any
relief to the petitioner, the Division bench directed the Salcete Mamletdar to
ensure no damage is done to the environment by undertaking excavation and land
filling in the area adjacent to the project site. Court has asked mamletdar to seize all the
machinery at site and take all measures to ensure that no further dumping and
excavation is carried out.
The Division Bench comprising of Justice FM Reis and Justice
Nutan Sardessai disposed off the application, after respondent- project
proponent M/s Movaj Enterprises Pvt Ltd informed Court that they have not
undertaken any works in the said area and the pictures produced by the
petitioners claiming works undertaken by us at the particular site, does not
belong to them.
Goa Foundation had moved an application before the Court
seeking directions to restrain the project proponent from continuing with any
work, either of dumping of mud or bulldozing of dumped mud or any other
operations of development or constructions at Survey No 170/1 and 171/1 of
Quelossim village. The petitioner claimed that despite stop work order been
issued by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the respondent has
undertaken developmental work.
However, the respondent countered the charge by stating that
it has not undertaken any work in the CRZ area nor in the area which is not
part of CRZ.
Court had in December issued notice to Government in a PIL
writ petition filed by GF challenging Investment promotion board (IPB) approval
to Mini India Project in the CRZ area. The PIL has argued that there is a
specific bar imposed on the IPB under Section 8 of the Investment
Board Act which restrains it from granting approvals or recommendations for
projects that are located in CRZ and khazan areas.
