PANAJI
The Goa State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), has decided to conduct a site inspection of the proposed Rs 270-crore twin observation towers atop the new Zuari Bridge before considering the project for Environmental Clearance (EC).
At its meeting held last month, the committee also decided to seek comments from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on the project's application for Consent to Establish under the Air and Water Acts.
"It is decided to forward the proposal to GSPCB for Consent to Establish comments and also decided to schedule site inspection," the committee recorded in its minutes.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) had, in April this year, granted CRZ clearance to the project proposed by Dilip Buildcon and recommended it to the SEAC for EC under the Environment (Protection) Act.
The project was initially scheduled to commence after the monsoon and is expected to be completed within three years from the date of commencement. Notably, the GCZMA granted CRZ clearance even as the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study was still in progress.
As per GCZMA report, the proposed project site falls within multiple ecologically sensitive zones, including CRZ-IA (mangrove areas and their buffer zones), CRZ-IB (water bodies), CRZ-III (No Development Zone along rivers and creeks), as well as designated fishing zones.
The project envisages the construction of two observation towers on the new Zuari Bridge, connected to the mainland by a 120-metre-long and 12-metre-wide elevated walkway. Visitors will be taken to the top of the towers through high-speed elevators.
The proposal also includes several visitor amenities beneath the bridge on the Agassaim side, including a children's play area, toilets, pantry, ticket counter, security cabin and an administrative block, which is currently being used as the developer's temporary site office.
