Team Herald
Canacona: The Goa bench of Bombay High Court while disposing a petition filed by NGO-Goenkar, challenging the impugned forest diversion proposal, to undertake expansion of NH66 at the Karmal Ghat section; directed the respondents to inform in writing to the petitioner their decision on grant or rejection of the application for diversion of the forest land on both sides for road expansion.
The Canacona based NGO had petitioned before the court for relief and to stop the proposed road widening by destroying the eco-sensitive zone at Karmal Ghat section of the NH66 between Margao and Canacona and instead look for an alternative like boring a tunnel right across the base of the mountain range.
The petitioners contend that if the trees some of which are endemic are allowed to be chopped, it will cause irreparable damage to the local environment both flora and fauna and has to be avoided at all costs.
The Goa bench of Bombay High Court in its recent order, stated that the Public Works Department (PWD) and the State Forest Department, who were the other respondents in the petition have said that upon the clearance if issued by the departments, then they will have to upload it on their website followed by other due procedures.
This will take roughly around 3-4 weeks, wherein the petitioner or for that matter anyone else can file for an appeal before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Accordingly the court has passed the judgement while disposing the case as it is at a premature stage.
The court has however asked the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) that when they grant or reject the clearance to Goa in regards to their application for diversion of forest land for the widening of the existing two-lane NH66 road to 4-lane, to forward a copy of the same to the petitioners as well.
Upon the clearance if issued, the petitioner can approach the proper court of law the judgement reads.
Jack Fernandes, Goenkar President said the project of NH66 expansion at Karmal Ghat requires felling of 13,471 trees from the densely forested region and if this proposal gets its clearance, the result besides causing face value damage will cause future damage as the Karmal Ghat forest is marked as an eco-sensitive area of the Western Ghats.
“Development is needed but not at the cost of destruction of nature. The agency engaged by the government for detailed engineering study for the proposed four lane road section have submitted that tunnel is the best option at Karmalghat. Then why is the government pushing for expansion of existing road? It will be disastrous for entire Canacona and the section of Western Ghats through which the road widening is proposed and has to be avoided at all cost” said Sandesh Telekar another Goenkar official.
