PANJIM: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed the contentions raised by Goa Foundation over the CRZ clearance granted to the proposed Tiracol bridge, thereby allowing the State government to go ahead with the construction, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the State Legislative Assembly on Friday.
“I am very happy to inform the House that NGT, Pune, has dismissed the contentions of Goa Foundation. Now we can go ahead with the project,” Parsekar declared.
As the Friday morning session began, Parsekar sought the Speaker’s permission and informed the House about the development.
NGT had stayed construction of the bridge following the appeal filed by Goa Foundation, which sought to challenge the CRZ clearance granted by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Plan for construction of a bridge across the Tiracol estuary costing Rs 77 crore as it was in violation of the CRZ Notification 1991/2011 issued under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the approved GCZMA plan.
NGT had even issued notices to Goa and Central governments on the issue. The Goa Foundation had claimed that the permission as required from the Ministry of Environment & Forests had not been obtained. The GSIDC has nonetheless commenced construction of the bridge. Permission has been granted by the GCZMA despite the characterization of the area as CRZ-I and in violation of the provisions and procedures laid down in the CRZ notification.
