PANAJI
The Goa government on Monday informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that the Captain of Ports is in the process of withdrawing the July 5, 2023 notification that permitted water sports activities in certain inland waterways during the monsoon. A fresh notification will be issued.
Additional Government Advocate Prashil Arolkar told the Division Bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Hiten Venegavkar that the Captain of Ports is taking steps to rescind the notification published in the Official Gazette on July 7, 2023.
The development came during the hearing of a petition challenging the 2023 notification, which allowed water sports in selected inland waters from June until September 15, subject to fair weather conditions, inspection by the Captain of Ports Department, payment of additional survey fees, and a no-objection certificate from the Directorate of Tourism.
The notification covered stretches of the Sal, Chapora, Zuari, Mandovi (near Divar Island, away from the main navigable channel), Nerul and Sinquerim rivers, as well as Dona Paula Bay. The government had issued the notification after stating that no objections or suggestions were received following publication of the draft notification in the Official Gazette on June 30, 2023. It was introduced as part of the government’s policy to promote river tourism while allowing water sports in inland waters during the monsoon under specified conditions.
As government has now decided to withdraw existing notification and issue a fresh one, the HC has posted the matter for further hearing on August 3.
