Panaji, Aug 21 (IANS): The relocation of the Goa bench of the National Green Tribunal from Pune to New Delhi by the Union Environment and Forests Ministry has irked the Opposition and green activists here.

Congress state chief Shantaram Naik told a press conference here that vested interests had forced the central government to shift the bench to the national capital to discourage activists in Goa from filing petitions.

"Pune was a short distance away. Now they will have to travel to Delhi. Vested interests are behind this decision. They want to discourage activists and opposition from challenging projects which are environmentally damaging to Goa," he said.

The Federation of Rainbow Warriors, a collective of green NGOs, said: "Goa Government uses every crooked method available to hasten the destruction, such as their sly attempt to transfer the Mopa (new greenfield airport) matter to Delhi without informing us, which failed due to diligence of the appellants. The transfer of Goa matters to Delhi is another step."

According to the Ministry's August 10 notification, Goa which was earlier in the West zone along with Gujarat and Maharashtra, has now been relocated to the North zone, while Gujarat and Maharashtra stay put in the West Zone, whose bench is in Pune.

Incidentally, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has in the past alleged that activists had been plaguing Goa's development by constant petitioning in the NGT.