MARGAO
In what is seen as a setback to the Loutolim farmers anxiously waiting for an early stay on the land acquisition proceedings in respect of the new high-level Borim Bridge, the National Green Tribunal on Monday adjourned hearing of the matter to April 23.
The application filed by the Loutolim farmers seeking a stay was scheduled to come up for hearing on Monday, but the hearing has been postponed to April 23.
Given the situation, social activist Abhijit Prabhudesai, who has been coordinating with the beleaguered farmers, said the farmers will soon meet to chalk out a legal strategy. He feared that the government may go ahead with the land acquisition proceedings in the absence of any stay on the proceedings from the NGT.
The matter had last come up for hearing January 7 before it was adjourned to April 17. While adjourning the hearing on January 7, the NGT had observed that the Bench would like MoEF&CC to give its opinion by way of an affidavit as to whether, if the area of a bridge/ project is exceeding 1,50,000 sqm, would it fall in the area development project under category 8(b) of Schedule of EIA Notification, 2006.
In fact, the NGT had asked the MoEF&CC to file the affidavit within two weeks from the date of uploading of the order on January 7.
“It appears that this Tribunal has already held that the construction of a bridge, if involves an area exceeding 1,50,000 sqm, the same would fall in category/item 8(b) of Schedule-I of EIA Notification, 2006. Because of this only, we deem it appropriate to have clear area of the bridge in question, to be submitted before us by respondent No.3,” the Bench had observed at the last date of hearing.
“The issue involved in the present matter is as to whether the area of the project in question is exceeding 1,50,000 sqm to qualify the project in category 8(b) of Schedule-I of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006. We wanted respondent No.7 “ MoEF&CC to file their affidavit in this regard and the affidavit dated 06.01.2025 has been submitted today, wherein in paragraph No.8, it has been stated that proposal for the project in question has not yet been received by the Ministry, as a result of which specific dimensions and details of the project are not available so as to render a definitive opinion about the permissions/ clearances required for the project at this stage,” the bench had stated.
The NGT added: “Further it is mentioned that construction of a standalone bridge does not attract the provisions of the EIA Notification, 2006 unless it forms part of a National Highway project, which is covered under Item/ category 7(f) of the said Notification and it is made clear that the construction of a bridge is permissible and regulated in specific zones within coastal areas as per the provisions of the CRZ Notification, 2011/2019.
