Staff Reporter
Panaji
In the ongoing matter related to the contentious railway double-tracking project, a counsel representing the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has submitted before the High Court of Bombay at Goa the procedural guidelines for submitting proposals to the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife.
The guidelines specify that any proposal must follow a defined route—beginning with submission to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) or Wildlife Warden, who must forward it to the Chief Wildlife Warden. After consultation with the State Board for Wildlife or its Standing Committee, and with recommendations from the state government, the proposal is then sent to the MoEFCC for further consideration by the National Board for Wildlife.
The case has been filed by environmental NGO Goa Foundation, which challenged the South Western Railway’s (SWR) authority to acquire land or alter its status within the protected wildlife sanctuary. The NGO stated that despite the Supreme Court’s 2022 revocation of all permissions for track doubling within the sanctuary, land acquisition proceedings and changes to land revenue records have continued in favour of SWR.
An additional government advocate told the court that the proposal had been received by the State Board for Wildlife and would be forwarded to the MoEFCC after receiving the necessary recommendations. However, he stated that a clarification had been sought from the railways. A counsel representing the railway authorities assured the court that a response would be submitted at the earliest to facilitate the proposal’s progression.
The High Court has scheduled the matter for further hearing on June 17.
