National Green Tribunal Issues Notices to Forest Ministry & State Authorities, Claiming Casino Caravela Flouting CRZ Rules

National Green Tribunal
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  • PG News July 24, 2016
  • 2 Minutes Read

In the ongoing casino issue at Ribander, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices over the MV Royale Deltin Caravela Floatel casino, which is moored too close to the protected bird sanctuary. The orders have come after locals and activists approached the NGT for removal of the vessel and compensation for damages incurred.

 

Agitation By Locals

The Deltin Caravela is the fifth offshore casino and the BJP has come in for a lot of flak, for renewing its license. It was earlier anchored at Britona and shifted to Ribander after objections from locals.

Its current location places it inside the buffer zone, dangerously close to the Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Chorao Island and activists were up in arms about the threat to the avian species.

Locals, NGOs and political activists had complained to the NGT and asked for immediate removal of the casino. The village farmers also demanded compensation for the damages caused by the ship’s presence in their waters. A bandh has been planned for July 25, as the govt had failed to respond to earlier objections.

 

NGT & CRZ Send Notices

In response, the NGT Pune bench comprising Justice Jawed Rahim and Justice Deshpande have now sent notices to the Chief Secretary, Tiswadi Deputy Collector, Forests Department, Captain of Ports, Tourism Department, Marine Police, Directorate of Fisheries, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), River Navigation and Goa Biodiversity Board questioning the violation of the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) guidelines by the anchoring.

It was reported that the GCZMA has already sent out a show cause notice to the Deltin Caravela, in lieu of it operating without getting CRZ clearances.

Kashinath Shetye, Social activist who had represented the petitioners confirmed that the notices had been served to various government authorities and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, (MoEF) said that “The matter is now reserved for July 27 for interim order.”

The agitation continues meanwhile, as Aires Rodrigues and delegation of Ribander locals called on Mridula Sinha, Goa Governor at the Raj Bhavan seeking her intervention to remove the casino.

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