MARGAO, OCT 6
The High Court has granted time till Thursday for the PWD to obtain the central clearance before it decides on the interim application for stay filed by the residents of Sinquetim-Navelim over the bridge construction.
The petition filed by Sinquetim residents led by George Barretto and others seeking a stay on the bridge construction on grounds it has no environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment had come up for hearing before the high court on Monday.
At the last date of hearing, the High court sought to know from the Advocate General how much time the PWD would require to get the environmental clearance for the bridge as the PWD has been maintaining all along that the clearance would soon come from the centre.
PWD officials informed that the application seeking permission had come up before the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests last month and that the Ministry officials had raised some queries over CRZ regulations.
In fact, a senior PWD official said the query raised by the Central Ministry is a routine formality, adding that the clearance for the bridge would come no sooner the CRZ queries are answered by the local agency.
The High Court had earlier granted time for the PWD to seek the CRZ clearance from the Union Ministry since the cost of the Sinquetim-Benaulim bridge has exceeded beyond Rs 5 crore.
Incidentally, the court had made it quite clear to the petitioners opposing the bridge that they will be free to file an application for a stay on the bridge works if the PWD fails to obtain the necessary clearance.
The PWD had commenced work on the bridge by laying the foundation, but work presently appears suspended due to the monsoons and in view of the petition pending in the High Court.
