the goan I network
PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal has ordered the Goa Forest Department and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to put in place remedial measures along the site of the construction of the Zuari bridge where work is currently ongoing.
The tribunal’s directions came based on a report filed by a committee that the tribunal had constituted after the Federation of Rainbow Warriors had alleged that the conditions of the environmental clearance were being violated by the company during the construction of the bridge and elevated approach roads.
A committee comprising of members of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA-GOA), and the Goa Pollution Control Board (GPCB) was set up directing that the project in question be inspected and after verifying the factual aspects set out in the application to submit a report.
In its report the committee has found some violations including that the filling done by the contractor in khazan land area lying in front of the shed constructed towards west of the junction, where the temporary service road meets the old road at Agassaim side do not suffice any purpose. “The khazan land is a CRZ area, and the said cannot be land filled without any purpose for public use. So, the said land filling should be ordered to be removed from the khazan land area soon,” the committee recorded.
Similarly, the committee found that the land filling done in the western side at the second location at Goa Velha is in excess to what is required.
“On assessing, it was found that it is the excess earth which they have dumped for their convenience. Dumping of earth in Khazan land area (CRZ I) is not permissible and should be ordered to be removed immediately from the site,” the committee said.
At the third location off Siridao, since the pier construction is over, the earth filling done by cutting of mangroves and should also be ordered to be removed from the area as also, the Mangrove Conservation plan which the respondent is saying that it is already made should be ordered to be placed before the
Authority soon and the work on replantation of mangroves be ordered to be started at the earliest.
For another set of land filling and mangrove cutting, the committee has deemed was necessary and directed that it be remedied after the work is complete.
The filling done towards Agassaim side to provide connection of the existing bridge to the main road in Khazan land area is a temporary work which is required as per the necessity of the new project work to keep the traffic ongoing. As soon as the main work is completed, the filling done should be ordered to be removed to restore the land to its original condition.
Similarly filling done at the first location to the extent of 450x80m in the riverine area lying towards the west of the Konkan Railway bridge is for making a road to take the machinery for lifting the Girders on top of the pillars of the new bridge under construction to complete the bridge span. It should be ordered to be removed from the site soon after the bridge work is over,” the report states.
The work of hill cutting was also under the scanner of the committee which directed the contractor to set right the collapsing hill opposite the railway bridge which is due to improper cutting done for widening of the road, so that it does not pose any danger to the commuters,” the report states.
“The GCZMA and the Department of Forest, Goa, shall take steps in accordance with law to implement the recommendations of the Committee in relation to their respective jurisdictions, namely, the Mangrove Forests and the Coastal Zone Areas and file action taken reports before the next date,” the NGT ruled.
