NH66 highway stretch gets MoEF final nod
CANACONA
The Ministry of Environment of Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has accorded the Final Approval-Stage 2 Clearance for the diversion of 0.03 hectares of forestland around the Karmalghat highway expansion work on the NH66 Highway.
In a communiqué addressed to the Principal Secretary (Forests), Government of Goa, the MoEF&CC Regional office at Bangalore conveyed the ‘Final Approval’ under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 for diversion of 0.03 ha of forest land in survey 103 (P) Canacona for urgent restoration of existing road formation of NH66 between Km 572/500 and Km 595/200 which passes through Karmalghat area in favour of the PWD, Goa.
Earlier on June 28, the Centre had granted ‘in-principle’ (Stage-I) to the proposal submitted by the State government, after which it had submitted a compliance report on September 15 to the conditions stipulated in the ‘in-principle’ approval.
The Stage 2 clearance assumes significance following several road mishaps on the Gulem-Karmalghat stretch of NH66, particularly on the narrow and accident-prone Karmalghat, which has been nicknamed by many as ‘Mornaghat’ (Death-Ghat).
There had been growing criticism over the delay in executing the works despite of assurances from the government and particular, by Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar, who had even visited New Delhi and interacted with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the matter.
Meanwhile, Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar has welcomed the ‘Final Approval-Stage 2 Clearance by the Ministry of Environment of Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for the Karmalghat highway expansion work on the NH66 Highway.
While Tawadkar is out of station, a statement from his office attributed this clearance to the outcome of the Speaker’s “hard efforts to get all these clearances on priority.”
“Besides, this is the most important work in the development of Canacona and a prime step as envisaged in the ‘Vision Mission-2030 Canacona,” stated Tawadkar’s office.
Approval only to widen NH66, not for proposed 4-lane road: NGO
CANACONA: Ridiculing the Speaker’s office for claiming credit for ‘Final Approval-Stage 2 Clearance for the Karmalghat highway expansion work on the NH66 Highway, the NGO Goenkar has stated that this final approval had nothing to do with the new proposed 4-lane road at Karmalghat.
“The ‘Final Approval’ is for widening of existing NH66 road works for around 23 Kms (NH66 between Km 572/500 and Km 595/200), and not the new proposed 4-lane road,” said Goenkar General Secretary Vikas Bhagat. “The Speaker’s staff has no knowledge of what they are talking about. This approval is only to widen the existing road (NH66) and is not for a new 4-lane road. Regarding the new road, the matter is in Court and our NGO, which is a party to the petition, has not been intimated as to how and from where the new road will go.”
Environmentalists have been opposing a new four-lane highway on grounds that it would involve the felling of thousands of trees along the route. They have, instead, demanded a Tunnel or a Stilt Road to protect the natural habitat.
