Panaji: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has issued notices to the state government and other parties in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the approvals granted for a tourist resort on Surla plateau, located within the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
The PIL filed by Goa Foundation follows a July 24, 2023 High Court judgment that directed the state to notify the Mhadei sanctuary and surrounding areas as a tiger reserve, based on recommendations by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The petition states the resort lies within the proposed core area of the tiger reserve, a biodiversity-rich habitat home to tigers, sloth bears, leopards, pangolins, vipers, and over 300 plant species.
The petition contests the permits and work orders issued by multiple departments for the Rs 8-crore resort project, carried out by M/s Fomento Resources Pvt Ltd.
It seeks to quash all approvals granted for the project, which it claims violate Section 29 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. These laws prohibit diversion of forest land and wildlife habitats for non-forest purposes without Central Government clearance.
Despite the absence of any stay on the High Court’s directions by the Supreme Court and the pendency of proceedings seeking contempt action to be initiated against the state for non-compliance, authorities like the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) and Goa Forest Development Corporation Ltd (GFDCL) allegedly proceeded with
issuing approvals.
“Considering the grievance raised in the petition, we deem it appropriate to call upon the respondents to respond to the specific allegations of violation of the area, which
has been specifically declared as a tiger reserve by the authorities,” the court observed.
The petitioners allege the project attempts to present the court with a fait accompli, ignoring existing legal and ecological safeguards.
