Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SR)

Panaji, Aug 16: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has decided to penalise Goa government for failing to submit a complete report of private lands, which meet the criteria of forests. The NGT had earlier directed the government to submit a complete report of private lands by June 30 and had warned that any delay would cost Rs 10,000 fine per day with effect from July 1.

Though the government appointed committee submitted a report, forest minister Vijai Sardesai rejected it in July this year, stating that the land owners were not consulted while preparing the report.

The Goa government sought a further three months to complete the process. The NGT bench, including Justice K Ramakrishnan, Justice S P Wangdi and expert member Nagin Nanda, agreed the request with a penality of Rs 10,000 per day for the delay and further costs of Rs 1.5 crore if the report delayed for more than three months.

While confirming the fine of Rs 10,000 per day from July 1, NGT declared, “The records reveal that the state of Goa has been repeatedly seeking time to complete the exercise. In view of the above and the fact that further time has been sought for, the direction for payment of penalty in terms of order dated April 3 shall be operative,” as per HT report.

Environmental NGO Goa Foundation had approached the National Green Tribunal, against the Goa Government’s delay in notifying private forests in terms of the Supreme Court’s order of 1996. The Supreme Court in its 1996 order directed all state governments to set up Expert Committees to identify natural forests (including degraded forest lands) in individual states.