Seeks comprehensive affidavit on status within 4 weeks
PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Goa government to file a comprehensive affidavit indicating how much work is still left to be done as regards identification of the wetlands and how much time would be taken in finally notifying the wetlands being identified in Goa.
Hearing a petition filed by public spirited activist Kashinath Shetye, the Tribunal noted that there was considerable delay in the initial deadline -- the NGT had earlier provided a one year deadline to identify the remaining wetlands from the date of order i.e. 23.01.2020, which period has already expired -- but was mollified by the government statement that work on identifying the wetlands was well underway.
“But we have come to know… that the work of identification of the wetlands as well as their being so notified, is ongoing and by now 42 wetlands have been identified and out of them, 8 have already been notified while remaining are in the process of being notified,” the National Green Tribunal observed.
We do not find the clarity on the point as to how many more wetlands are left to be identified still. The learned Counsel for the authority apprised that this work is ongoing, hence some more time would be needed.
“We direct the authority (Goa State Wetlands Authority) to file a comprehensive affidavit, indicating there-in as to how much work is still left to be done as regards identification of the wetlands and how much time would be taken in finally notifying the wetlands. We grant four weeks’ time for the authority to file the same,” the NGT observed.
According to the affidavit filed by the GSWA eight wetlands have been finally notified, nine are draft notified wetlands, seven wetlands are identified and approved for draft notification and the process of draft notification is ongoing while a further 15 wetlands have been identified to be placed before next GSWA for approval for Draft Notification.
