NT Reporter
Panaji
In the matter related to the destruction of mangroves at Morombi-O-Pequeno under the jurisdiction of the Merces Panchayat, the High Court of Bombay at Goa observed that apart from the report stating the extent of landfill and the damage caused to mangroves and khazan lands surrounding the landfill, the Task Force should also place on record an assessment of the environmental costs involved in restoring the land to its original condition.
The court said the Task Force appointed by it shall inspect the site, either directly or by deputing officers, and after conducting surveys and assessing the landfill carried out at the site, submit a report before the next date of hearing.
The High Court Division Bench comprising Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar said the estimate should be placed on record to enable newly added respondents Yogesh Tigadi and Sheila Bela Mesta to be informed of the environmental restoration costs that may be recovered from them by the court if they are found responsible not only for acting in contempt of the court’s order dated August 12, 2024, but also for gross violations of the provisions of the Environment Protection Act and various notifications issued under the Regional Plan and environmental laws meant to protect the area in question.
The court has impleaded Tigadi and Mesta in the petition filed by social activist Kashinath Shetye
and others.
On Friday, Shetye alleged that he was attacked and threatened with a koita and stones by a person over the issue of mangrove
destruction.
The court has issued notice to Tigadi and Mesta, returnable on June 8.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the court that widespread landfill had been carried out on land bearing Survey No. 58/1 at Morombi-O-Pequeno.
The court requested the additional government advocate to take instructions regarding the present condition of the land
at the site.
Advocate Annelise Fernandes, appearing for the Merces Panchayat, placed on record a communication dated April 4 issued by the panchayat to the Deputy Collector of Tiswadi informing him about the landfilling at the site.
The panchayat had also issued a notice on April 25 to the occupier of land bearing Survey No. 58/1. A reply submitted before the panchayat under the signature of Tigadi, who has now been impleaded in the petition, stated that he would remove a shed constructed over the landfill in the survey area.
