Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has given final opportunity to the State government to file their reply to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the order of the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) which operationalised the Regional Plan 2021.
Last October, nine organisations had filed a PIL challenging the government’s decision. The organisations include Federation of Rainbow Warriors, Goencho Avaaz, Betqui Candola Samvardhan Samitee, Goykarancho Aawaz, Curtorkarancho Ekvott, Poinguinkarancho Ekvott, Veling Priol Cuncoliem Nagrik Kruti Samiti, Candolim Residents and Consumer Forum, and Revolutionary Goans.
The court had sent notices to the respondents including the State government, TCP and others but no reply has been filed since then. As such, when the matter came up for hearing, the bench observed that “Already more than sufficient time has been granted to the Respondents to file their affidavit-in-reply. However, till date no such reply is forthcoming. As and by way of last chance, we permit the Respondents to file their affidavit-in-reply by February 22, 2019…”
The court has now posted the matter for next hearing on February 26. The court has warned that if no reply is filed by February 22, it will be “constrained to proceed with the matter without waiting for any reply.”
