PANJIM: Expressing its doubts whether the respondent Estonio Francisco De Almeida was really serious about complying with the undertaking given to restore a hill near Taleigao church, the High Court of Bombay at Goa directed him to deposit Rs 25 lakh within one week, on Monday.
Directing De Almeida to continue with the restoration works, the High Court said that it will consider refunding the security deposit only if the works are completed within a reasonable time even as counsel for the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) submitted that expenses in the region of Rs one crore would be necessary to undertake the restoration works.
To this, the High Court said that if ultimately, the NGPDA or the PWD are required to carry out such work, then the costs be recovered from the respondent, who was allegedly involved in illegal hill cutting.
While hearing a writ petition filed by former CCP Mayor Tony Rodrigues, the Division Bench comprising Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice B P Deshpande observed that the respondent De Almeida had given an undertaking to complete the works by August 12, this year. But in the affidavit-cum-undertaking filed by the NGPDA, the High Court found that the work had not even started by the respondent and that his counsel tried to orally inform the High Court of the difficulties involved. But the Bench said that the respondent did not even care to approach the High Court seeking extension of time.
In the meanwhile, the NGPDA has been asked to inspect the site and prepare an estimate of the work.
At the same, the court has granted liberty to the respondent to file any affidavit or an application for extension of time and has posted the matter for next hearing on August 8.
During the last hearing, the Court then directed the NGPDA to prepare a plan to restore the hill and to recover the expenses incurred towards the restoration work from the respondent De Almeida.
