PANAJI
On Wednesday, the Goa government and GCZMA informed the Bombay High Court in Goa that they have issued a show cause notice to the Village Panchayat of Merces. This notice demands the removal of an illegally constructed road and concrete platform through the mangroves, which were set up before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
The update came after petitioner and activist Kashinath Shetye notified the Court of his plan to file a contempt petition against the Panchayat, its members, and local MLA Rodolfo Fernandes, who oversaw the construction.
Previously, the Amicus Curiae told the High Court that the road through the mangroves was built illegally and without authorisation, resulting in the filling in of mangroves. The site needs to be restored to its original condition.
The Advocate General assured the Court that immediate action would be taken to address the unauthorised filling of the mangroves.
Earlier, the Bombay High Court at Goa had ordered the creation of a task force to rejuvenate and restore the mangrove forests and Khazan lands in Merces, which are suffering from degradation and destruction. The Court also directed that no new approvals, licences, or NOCs for any construction should be issued for these lands until further notice.
The High Court was reviewing a petition filed by Kashinath Shetye. The PIL highlights the government’s failure to prevent the destruction and preserve the mangrove forests and Khazan lands along National Highway-66, from Panaji Bus Station to Bambolim/Goa Medical College.
The petition alleges that authorities have either allowed development in this area or failed to act according to the Environment Protection Act, Town and Country Planning Act, Goa Land Revenue Code, and other relevant statutes and regulations that mandate the regulation of activities and development in such zones.
