Team Herald
PANJIM: In what could leave the government red-faced, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has granted the State government a final extension of three months to submit its report on private forests. The Tribunal has also imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 per day from July 1, 2019 till the submission of the report while warning it would slap an additional Rs 50 lakh penalty if the report is not submitted within the stipulated time.
Furthermore, NGT has imposed a performance guarantee amount of Rs 1 crore to be paid within two weeks to the Central Pollution Control Board.
Hearing a petition filed by NGO Goa Foundation, the three-member bench observed that the State has repeatedly been seeking time to complete the exercise.
“In view of the above and the fact that further time has been sought for, the direction for payment of penalty in terms of order dated April 3, 2019 shall continue to be operative. The prayer of extension is granted subject to the payment of cumulative amount of the penalty in terms of the said order and subject to deposit of a performance guarantee of Rs 1 crore to the satisfaction of the Central Pollution Control Board within two weeks from hence,” it stated.
“No further extension of time beyond three months as prayed for shall be permitted. Failure to complete the exercise would entail forfeiture of the performance guarantee and further penalty of Rs 50 lakh and above the cumulative penalty in terms of the order dated April 3, 2019,” the order states.
The Tribunal has also directed that the State government and Chief Secretary ensure that the order is complied with expeditiously.
As per the government’s statement made in the Legislative Assembly, the final report of the Review Committee was submitted well in time but the then Forest Minister had rejected it.
