PANJIM: The division bench of the High Court of Bombay at Goa has dismissed the petition filed by the proponents of the Marina project in connection with a District Magistrate’s (DM) order that public consultations will be conducted after the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2011 is approved and notified.
The petitioner asked for DM’s directions to fix a date for public consultation within 7 days of the draft CZMP 2011 plan being notified.
The Additional General (AG) said there will be no point holding any public consultations for the marina project, which is in the CRZ area. He further referred to the directions of the Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) where the petitioners were asked to submit their proposal once the CZMP is finalised and approved by the Ministry. The AG also pointed out that there are restraint orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) about grant of any approvals for projects in CRZ area until the approved CZMP is finalised.
“This, prima facie, indicates that the petitioners’ proposal as filed will not even be considered by the EAC unless the CZMP is finalised and the petitioners submit a fresh proposal in alignment with such finalised CZMP. For these reasons, we dismiss this petition,” said the bench comprising Justice M S Sonak and R N Laddha.
