Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has assured the High Court of Bombay at Goa to stall the ongoing work of the ‘repair’ of a portion of paver road across Dudhsagar River, until it hears the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Goa Foundation seeking to stop all development and construction within the Mollem National park.
The petitioner, on Wednesday, filed a rejoinder alleging that construction of the road has damaged the river’s ecology as it has been washed away at least thrice.
“The present contractor appears to be in a hurry to construct the road across the Dudhsagar River. For this, he has moved considerable quantities of gravel and stone and piping within the riverbed creating new situations like deep pools where none existed before,” the 59-page rejoinder states.
The Advocate General Devidas Pangam submitted to the court that no further work would be done in the Dudhsagar River till the PIL is heard on interim relief on Monday, September 6, 2021. Adv Norma Alvares, appearing for the petitioner, told the Court that till date, the road constructed across the river has been washed away three times by the turbulent river, the last on 31.8.2021.
The NGO said the project, as per PWD papers enclosed with the affidavit, is Rs 31.4 crore, which works out to Rs.2.6 crore per km (total project is 12 km) whereas the Forest Department claims it is “repairing” mud road at this cost.
The petitioner has challenged the authority of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to file the affidavit as he is not appointed under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
