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CM DEFENDS CONTINUANCE
OF ATMARAM NADKARNI
* Continuance of Adv Atmaram Nadkarni defended to represent the interest of Goa
* Karnataka MP Pralhad Joshi had sought that Nadkarni be kept away from representing Goa
* The request came soon after Nadkarni was promoted as Additional Solicitor General of India
* Parsekar assails the request, says permission had been obtained from the Centre to retain him
* Nadkarni had been representing Goa since he was referred by then Prime Minister Vajpayee
* Atmaram Nadkarni had resigned from the post of Goa Advocate General after his elevation
* Subsequently, Parsekar had written to the Prime Minister requesting permission to retain him
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Goa maintains a 1-km long eco sensitive (buffer) zone around its four wildlife sanctuaries including Mhadei, yet in a letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has sought that Karnataka maintain “at least a 10-kilometre long eco sensitive zone around the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
Parsekar, in his letter has asked the Minister of Environment and Forest, “to ensure declaration of at least ten km eco sensitive zone in and around Mahadayi (Mhadei) wild life sanctuary on Karnataka’s side including in Bhimgad sanctuary where the river originates.”
“The State of Goa has declared a one kilometre buffer zone around the sanctuary while Karnataka, despite (the) Supreme Court orders and MoEF notifications has set (it) at naught and paid scant regards to the ecology and its laws,” Parsekar said adding that such gross violations have endangered the sustenance of (the) Western Ghats.”
Karnataka has 31 wildlife sanctuaries in the state, while in six wildlife sanctuaries the buffer zone is as low as 100m, with others having an ESZ of three to seven km around them. Only one park in Bhadra area gets an ESZ of 14 to 16 km citing ‘site specific’ considerations.
Parsekar in his letter also strongly defended the continuance of Adv Atmaram Nadkarni to represent the interest of Goa in the face of Karnataka MP Pralhad Joshi’s objections.
Joshi had last week written to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad requesting to ensure Nadkarni doesn’t represent the state.
Parsekar on his part called for this request as being uncalled for and “most inappropriate” as permissions for him to represent the state had already been taken.
“Despite such permission having been obtained, a sitting MP to throw tantrums in the name of morality and ethics and to target a lawyer appearing for the state of Goa is highly uncalled for most inappropriate and not befitting the stature at all,” he said.
Goa\\\\\\\'s ex Advocate General Atmaram NS Nadkarni had been representing Goa since referred by then Prime Minister Vajpayee during the constituting of the tribunal. After being appointed as Additional Solicitor General in the Supreme Court, Nadkarni had resigned from the post of Advocate General.
Subsequently, Parsekar had written to Modi requesting permission to retain Nadkarni as senior advocate for the Mhadei issue which was then given.
“Indeed to keep an outstanding lawyer such as Nadkarni out of dispute and steal a march over Goa has been the whole object of Karnataka. I wish to highlight that Karnataka is in gross violation of all possible laws are attempting to virtually destroy UN recognised precious hotspot of biodiversity western Ghats by doing massive construction disregarding precious flora, fauna and rare forests, species and wildlife,” said Parsekar.
Meanwhile, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar also wrote a similar letter to Law Minister Prasad asking to retain Nadkarni as senior advocate on the Mhadei case.
