Flood plains of river Sal need protection: NGT

Orders formation of panel to undertake study

THE GOAN NETWORK | JUNE 24, 2021, 12:54 AM IST
Flood plains of river Sal  need protection: NGT

MARGAO 
In a big boost to villagers of Benaulim and Seraulim, besides environmentalists waging a sustained battle for western bypass on stilts, the National Green Tribunal asserted that the flood plains of river Sal need protection and has ordered the constitution of a 10-member panel of experts, including State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to conduct a study.

The National Green Tribunal Principal Bench, New Delhi, headed by Chairperson, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, has passed an order directing the constitution of a ten-member joint committee comprising SEIAA, Goa, Goa State Biodiversity Board, Goa State Wetland Authority, PWD, Goa, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), District Magistrate, South Goa, Water Resources Department, State PCB, a nominee of National Wetland Authority and a nominee of PCCF (HoFF), Goa.

The order stated that the State PCB and SEIAA, Goa, will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance. The NGT has directed that a meeting of the committee may be held within two weeks and after taking stock of the situation, a plan of action may be prepared and executed.

The order further stated the committee may also undertake a visit to the site as early as possible. An action taken report may be filed within three months by e-mail at judicialngt@gov.in preferably in the form of searchable PDF/ OCR support PDF and not in the form of image PDF. The applicant is at liberty to make representation to the committee through the nodal agency, the order added.

Taking cognizance of the objection lodged by the applicant Royla Fernandes, the NGT Principal bench ruled, “There can be no doubt that water bodies, wetlands, mangroves and other natural resources need to be protected. While construction of a road may be a necessity, such construction should not result in destruction of biodiversity and other environmental resources, including water bodies and wetlands.”

In her petition, Royla Fernandes had submitted that the government was bulldozing the balance stretch of the Western bypass through the villages of Seraulim and Benaulim by violating environmental norms.

She further contended that the bypass stretch is also going through the flood plains of river Sal and the water catchment areas in Benaulim village near Vodlem Tollem (Lake) which is a water body. “The Komla Tollem (water body) has been identified as a wetland and the Vodlem Tollem, Dhakte/Diuler Tollem which are water bodies in the form of lakes and are yet to be notified as wetlands. The proposed NH bypass road is passing through the property and divides it into two unequal parts, major part on the right side and a small portion on the left,” the petition stated.

The case will now come up for hearing on November 10 this year. 




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