PANAJI
The NGT issued the order after the tribunal found them lethargic in filing replies and failing to take remedial measures in the case and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for failing to enforce its directions. “We direct the Director, Directorate of Agriculture (Soil Conservation Division) the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department (WRD) and Secretary, GCZMA to be personally present and file affidavits explaining reasons for not taking immediate action as suggested in the Ex
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pert Member s Report and directions of the Tribunal,” the NGT said in its order on April 21. “Despite such clear directions, we find that the affidavit filed on behalf of the Secretary of GCZMA is merely a ruse to avoid compliance of the order and avoid also any serious view being taken against their lapses and inaction,” the NGT said adding “we are not convinced by such submissions and as could be seen we have expressly recorded in our previous orders that the situation is alarming and requires immediate steps.” The counsel for the GCZMA had explained that the action is being taken and they have issued directions to the department concerned to enforce the remedial and they require at least 45 days to do it. The directions were issued based on the report filed by Expert Member Dr Antonio Mascarenhas of GCZMA who described the area as an “intricate network of creeks, backwaters and marshy lagoons where mangroves and varietyof birds are noticed and that the embankment (bund) is an ancient embankment which runs across the ecosystem provided with heritage sluice gate; and this sluice gate has been tampered with and the effort has been made to reclaim the land along with the embankment running about 1.3 Kms. He submitted that the entire backwater ecosystem falls under the category of CRZ I and the entire embankment falls in NDZ and any tampering
with the said ecosystem and the embankment tantamount to gross violation of CRZ. “Despite such a report of its Expert Member the GCZMA seems to be oblivious. It has failed to take any action despite such fact finding and suggestions of remedial measures by the Expert Member. In the circumstances, we direct the GCZMA to immediately enforce remedial measures suggested in the report,” the NGT said in March this year. The work is being undertaken by the soil conservation section of the Agriculture Department on behalf of the Palnim Bund Tenants Association with designs drawn up by the Water Resources Department. In February this year, the NGT had directed GCZMA to immediately furnish ecological and environmental assessment report to the damage caused on Palnim bandh and directed the State authorities to immediately stop all civil work at the bandh pending the filing of the said report.
