PANJIM: The Supreme Court (SC) Bench comprising Justice L Nageswara Rao, Justice B R Gavai and Justice Aniruddha Bose have set aside the recommendation made by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) dated April 7, 2020, as it accepted report submitted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
CEC recommended of using the 220 kV line alignment for the new 400 kV line alignment, which SC accepted. The Apex court further instructed that suitable steps be taken in accordance with the CEC’s recommendations. NBWL had granted clearance to the three linear projects in April 2020.
“These interlocutory applications (IAs) have been filed by Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTL) seeking appropriate orders regarding the recommendations made CEC in Report No 6 of 2021 by requiring realignment of the loop-in loop-out (LILO) of one circuit of the Narendra (Existing) –Narendra (New) 400 Kv D/c quad line at Xeldem (NN Line) including whether they are binding and must be implemented by the applicant,” states the order.
“After examining the report No. 6 and hearing the learned counsel for the parties, we approve the recommendations made by CEC in Report No. 6 and direct suitable steps to be taken in accordance with the recommendations made therein. Consequent to the acceptance of the report submitted by CEC, the recommendation made by NBWL dated 07.04.2020 is set aside,” the order states.
The bench also noted that counsel appearing for GF had vehemently submitted that hearing of this matter should not have a bearing on the contempt petition filed by GF in respect of felling of trees by GTTPL for constructing a sub- station and that it was made clear that the said contempt petition and the applications filed by GTTPL shall be decided on their own merits.
“As and pending applications if any shall stand disposed off accordingly,” the Bench concluded.
