the goan I network
PANAJI
The Government of Goa has challenged the order of the National Green Tribunal before the Bombay High Court at Goa, with the matter expected to come up on Monday.
The State government and the shack owners are eager to begin their business in the first week of August.
Earlier this week, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promised that the government would challenge the order in the High Court with the support of the shack owners to point out to the court that the shacks are purely temporary structures and their permissions need not be hinged to the completion of the Coastal Zone Management Plan, which is also a work in progress and will be completed by the deadline set by the NGT.
In its order on September 13, the NGT granted the State government more time to complete the CZMP process on the condition that the shack policy will not be operated until then.
It is pointed out that the State is going to operate ‘Shack Policy’ which will be a threat to the environment in the absence of adequate regulatory regime,” the NGT ruled.
“Finalization of the plan by the State of Goa is a condition precedent for further action by the MoEF&CC to regulate activities in the coastal zones. This Tribunal discussed the significance of expeditious steps for the purpose and required the concerned States
to submit CZMPs latest by 30.04.2018. In the absence thereof, no projects can be set up or expanded. At the same time, unregulated developmental activity is causing a potential for damage to the environment in the absence of adequate regulatory regime,” the NGT observed.
“This Tribunal has been granting extensions to the States reluctantly in view of difficulties expressed from time to time. The last extension has expired on 31.08.2019. Period of one year and four months has already gone by after the date fixed by this Tribunal. This cannot be an unending exercise,” the NGT ruled.
