The National Green Tribunal has issued arrest warrant against Goa’s Chief Secretary for not complying with directions to restore a used up mining lease.
In its order issued on Monday, a three-member bench of the NGT comprising Justice DD Salvi, GK Pandey and Bikram Singh Sajwan, has pulled up Chief Secretary B Vijayan for failing to process formalities to pave way for the restoration of the mine.
“Actually, the restoration of the mined area ought to have weighed heavily in the mines of Goa, and as a corollary it would have responded to the present application appropriately. However, there seems no will on the part of the State of Goa to do even the least favour of responding to the cause of restoration. None is present before us to say anything in the matter,” the order says.
The lease is located in operated by HS Nathurmal, and according to the petitioners, the Goa Paryavaran Savrakshan Sangharsh Samiti, posed a danger to agricultural activity in the vicinity of the mine located in located in Bicholim taluka, 30 kms north of Panaji. The bail amount has been set at Rs20,000.