Panaji
The decision of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) to change the jurisdictions of the National Green Tribunal to bring the state of Goa under the ambit of the principal bench in New Delhi and the subsequent stay by the Bombay HC at Goa has resulted in further waiting for several litigants at the tribunal many of whom had cases scheduled over the coming weeks.
With the HC mandating that no files be transferred and the NGT hear no cases at least until September 5, cases which were scheduled to come up have been postponed.
Speaking to The Goan, Abhijit Prabhudesai of the Rainbow Warriors, who are either fighting or mentoring several cases in the NGT said they were hoping that their cases can move forward.
"We have been waiting for the last one year for the Mopa case to come for a final hearing. Now that it was scheduled to be heard continuously, this has come up," Prabhudesai said adding that they have challenged the environmental clearance granted to Mopa airport. Besides the Mopa case, cases filed by the Baina Ramponkar and Fishing Canoe Owners Society, as well as the Benaulim Civic and Social Forum have also been held back.
Goa contributes to as much as 40% of the litigation handled by the NGT bench at Pune despite its small size and throws up more litigation than Maharashtra and Gujarat which also comes under the NGT bench at Pune.
Besides MPT expansion projects, several other government projects are being challenged over alleged procedural irregularities including highway expansions, new bridges as well as private hotel and hospitality projects for CRZ violations.
