Fined Rs 25,000 by National Green Tribunal
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The National Green Tribunal has directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to give a hearing to proprietor of Sudarshan Dry Docks and partner of M/s Swastik Cruises R Naik and pass a final order within four weeks. It set aside an order of GCZMA dated January 29.
M/s Swastik Cruises, which conducts boat cruises, had purchased a piece of land measuring about 13,525 sq m to carry on its business activity. In July 2009, they applied to GCZMA for permission to construct a slipway. As there was no response from the authority, a writ petition was filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa. While the case was on, GCZMA issued a show-cause notice to the appellant in July 2010.
Subsequently, GCZMA passed an order restraining the appellant from going ahead with the work on the slipway.
Another writ petition by the appellant in the same court led to the setting aside of the order passed by the GCZMA primarily on the ground that adequate opportunity was not granted to the appellant before passing the judgement.
The authority then after providing an opportunity to the appellant again passed an order dated April 11, 2012, directing the appellant to restore the area where work was undertaken and carry out plantations.
The tribunal has now noted that the entire proceedings must culminate into a final order within a period of six weeks and none of the parties would be entitled to any extension of time. It also fined the GCZMA Rs 25,000.
The tribunal was headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar as chairperson, Justice U D Salvi as judicial member and Dr D K Agrawal as expert member. In the order, it stated that the GCZMA should consider all the issues pertaining to the case once again.
Stating that it has left the question of jurisdiction to the authority, it allowed the appellant to file additional documents, if any, within two weeks from the date of pronouncement of this order.
