Panaji: The Bombay high court has sought responses from state authorities and the ministry of road transport and highways in a petition by residents of Kadamba Plateau challenging unauthorised development and the operation of an alleged illegal casting yard for highway work at Bainguinim village.Advocate Malisa Simoes, representing the residents, told the high court that the stop-work notice of Oct 5 is not being complied with and that heavy machinery is being used at the site to break the earth and carry out industrial activities on a 19,773 sqm plot zoned as settlement.Simoes said trees were felled in Nov last year, land levelled and activities began in the heart of a compact residential area with over 3,500 residents and school students and a temple in the immediate vicinity. Bore wells are also being dug at the site, she told the court.According to the petitioners, the work is being carried out throughout the day and till late at night, causing severe disturbance and inconvenience to the residents. They said that there is no signboard at the site.Advocate general Devidas Pangam said the area is being used for casting for highway expansion work and doesn’t amount to industrial work. He alleged the intention of the petitioners is not to permit the highway and said the national project couldn’t be stopped like this.The residents are seeking directions to demolish all structures erected and restore the site to its original condition and action against the contractor for unauthorised development. They are also seeking directions to take action for the felling of a large number of trees in violation of Goa Preservation of Trees Act 1984.The high court has sought responses from the TCP department, North Goa collector, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Old Goa panchayat, Tiswadi BDO, North Goa SP, Old Goa PI, principal chief conservator of forests, ministry of road transport and highways, the national highways unit of the PWD, the contractor for the four-laning work who is operating the yard as well as landowners who gave the plot on lease.
