Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Pilerne Citizens Forum (PCF) and United Goans Foundation (UGF) on Wednesday issued notices to the government as well as to nine projects which had been approved by the Investment Promotion Board (IPB).
The High Court has sought a reply from the respondents on February 6 and has asked the government and the IPB not to process any approvals given to the projects to be undertaken by the promoters till the next hearing on Feb 12.
PCF and UGF had filed a plea against Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt Ltd, Vani Agro Farms Pvt Ltd, Kargwal Construction Pvt Ltd, Niraamaya Retreats, Benaulim, Soham Leisure Ventures Pvt Ltd, Abhijat Parrikar’s Hideaway Hospitality, Yatch Heaven Pvt Ltd, Penha De France Properties Pvt Ltd, and Goan Marine Impex Pvt Ltd.
Issuing notices to respondents, the court said that any action taken by the authorities in the meanwhile shall be subject to further orders that may be passed by the court.
The court also granted leave to the petitioners to amend the petition challenging the notification declaring the Vanxim land as the investment promotion area and to implead the Sao Mathias village panchayat as a respondent.
The petitioners had prayed for scraping of the clauses within the IPB that allow marking an investment promotion area and overriding all other State Acts.
The petitioners have feared that provisions if given effect would lead to unplanned development and the destruction of environment.
