PANJIM: The State Expert
Appraisal Committee (SEAC) of the Environment Department has kept in abeyance
the environment clearance (EC) granted to Sociedade de Fomento for the
construction of a rail freight terminal at Xic-Xelvona, following opposition
from the locals.
Also, the State Environment
Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has issued show cause notice to the company
seeking clarification on project specific observations made by SEAC and SEIAA
which includes NOC from the Forest department, zonal certificate, conversion
sanad and details of additional land proposed to be acquired.
SEIAA, last year, had
granted EC to Sociedade de Fomento to construct a terminal for handling
multi-cargo systems at Assolda and Xic-Xelvona. Following this the Assolda
village panchayat and individual stakeholders complained before SEIAA to
withdraw the EC.
The VP has also approached
the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to quash the EC. The appeal, to be heard on February 22, is filed against SEIAA,
Sociedade de Fomento, State of Goa, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Union
Ministry of Environment and Forest and Principal Conservator of Forest.
“As the opposition is from
multiple stake holders on multiple counts, the Committee seeks to deliberate on
this issue with utmost care and at length and as such has decided to defer the
decision at this juncture and felt that the prior environmental clearance (EC)
granted by the Authority to the said project proposal be kept in abeyance till
all the alleged violations/objections are ascertained and clarified by the
State EIA Authority,” the SEAC resolved in its meeting held last month.
