VASCO: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on November 7 2017 issued directions to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to appoint an independent Chartered Hydrographer at the cost of Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) so as to ascertain the bathymetry all along the channel.
It may be recalled that the first hearing on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed before the High Court by Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Co-op Society Ltd was held on September 20, 2017. In its PIL, the petitioners had sought a stay on the maintenance dredging undertaken by MPT. However, after hearing both the parties, the HC had passed an order allowing MPT to take up maintenance dredging strictly under monitoring of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA)’s sub- committee.
Also keeping the matter alive, the HC had fixed the next hearing on matter on November 7 to ensure that the maintenance dredging is done in compliance with proper procedure required for maintenance dredging and without any environmental damage.
Thus while hearing the ongoing PIL Petition filed by Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Co-op Society Ltd against MPT’s maintenance dredging operations, the High Court on November 7 passed an order with the directions to the GCZMA that, “to ascertain actual bathymetry all along the channel the Committee shall now appoint an independent Chartered Hydrographer within a period of two weeks.”
The matter is now fixed for orders on December 20.
