PANJIM: With no matter on Tiger Reserve listed by the Supreme Court on November 9, the activists have raised eyebrows whether the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Goa government challenging the Mhadei Tribunal verdict would come up on November 27 or would meet the same fate like the Tiger Reserve, when the Apex Court reopens after Diwali vacation.
On September 25, the Supreme Court had declined to grant stay to the High Court’s order directing the State government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve.
Supreme Court lawyer Adv Bhavani Shankar Gadnis representing the NGP Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan said that Advocate General Devidas Pangam should give correct information on Mhadei river matters and also about the other petition on notifying the Tiger Reserve.
Adv Gadnis alleged that the government was not serious and was burying the truth as far as both the matters are concerned and buying time to ensure that the matters get adjourned.
He said that the High Court had adjourned the matter regarding notifying Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding area as Tiger Reserve, since the matter was fixed before the Supreme Court on November 9.
But there was no matter of the Goa government listed on November 9 and wondered whether it would come up for hearing after the Supreme Court reopens after Diwali vacations.
Similarly he wondered whether the SLP regarding River Mhadei would come up on November 27 and feared that the court might refer the matter to the PRAVAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) Committee already constituted by the Jal Shakti Ministry.
Commenting on this all Advocate General Devidas Pangam had to say was this “It did not come on November 9. We do not have any idea why it did not come. No cause list has come now. The Supreme Court is on Diwali vacation.”
When contacted, Director of Goa Foundation Claude Alvares said, “It was not listed for November 9th at all. It was supposed to be taken by the Registrar for completion of pleadings but it did not come up. So now we are waiting to see that the pleadings are completed. We have to file our counter submission then they will file. Then it will go to board. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has not given a date. We have to see that the Supreme Court gives a date.”
According to Alvares, the November 9th date was only to try and adjourn the matter. “We knew very clearly that it was not on November 9th and we will have to see when it comes up. They (government) are in a very difficult situation as they cannot get extensions. The High Court cannot grant it. The Supreme Court has not granted stay. I suppose that they are trying to buy time. It is a constituency issue. We will file our submissions before the Supreme Court on November 20,” he said.
Referring to the special leave petition filed by the State government in the Supreme Court challenging the award of the Inter-State Mhadei Dispute Tribunal, AG Pangam said, “Cause list of Mhadei matter has also not come. We are waiting for that. List of November 27th has not come yet. Many times it shows on the Court website but we have to wait for the list. Unless the list is out we cannot comment on that.”
