NEXT HEARING: JUNE 6
The court has now posted the matter for June 6. This is the second case filed by the Federation of Rainbow Warriors against tree felling at Mopa airport site
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PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa, in an order passed on April 25, has allowed the Forest Department to proceed with the marking of trees at the site of the upcoming airport on the Mopa plateau in Pernem but provided interim relief to the Federation of Rainbow Warriors to the extent that there will be no felling of trees on site.
The Federation of Rainbow Warriors has challenged an order of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests which had allowed the company building the airport to mark and proceed to cut the identified trees to make way of the upcoming Mopa airport.
“At present, we only permit the Authorities to proceed as per the clause (1) of the operative portion of the order dated 2 April 2018 passed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, that is marking of the trees, subject to rights and contentions of the parties. No steps as contemplated in clause (2) that is cutting of trees etc., and the further clauses of the order, will be taken, as this aspect will be considered on the next date,” the High Court said.
The court has now posted the matter for June 6. This is the second case filed by the Federation of Rainbow Warriors against tree felling at Mopa airport site.
Earlier on March 8, the Bombay High Court of Goa stayed the indiscriminate culling of trees at the Mopa airport site, quashed the permission to cut threes and directed that the appeal against the permission to fell 21,703 at the Mopa airport site be now heard by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on its merits even.
The High Court came down heavily on the State administration particularly two officers of the Forest Department for dealing with the matter “in a most casual manner.”
The Tree Officer had granted permission on 6 February 2018, for the felling of 21,708 trees which was challenged by the Petitioner by filing an appeal.
The High Court then directed that the case be heard by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
“We request the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Goa to make an endeavour to dispose of the appeal within a period of four weeks from 12 March 2018. Pending the appeal and one week after its disposal, the Respondents are restrained from felling any trees at the proposed Mopa Airport site in terms of the permission issued,” the High Court had ruled back in March.
