PANJIM: The two public interest litigation (PIL) writ petitions filed public-spirited citizens from Panjim regarding dust pollution caused due to ongoing Smart City works in the capital city will come up for hearing before the High Court of Panjim on Tuesday, March 26.
The PIL writ petitions have been filed by Piyush Panchal, Alwyn D’Sa and Neelam Navelkar, all residents of Miramar, and Christus C Lopes of Caranzalem and Sadanand Vaingankar of Panjim.
In their petition Panchal and two others have pointed to the potential health hazards caused due to digging and failure to undertake measures to curb or control the dust pollution caused by the various roads and other infrastructure works across the capital city.
The petitioners have stated that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had not conducted the assessment study of the impact of the large scale road construction and infrastructural works being undertaken simultaneously in high density residential and commercial areas within the limits of Panjim, amounting to neglect of public health and safety.
The indiscriminate and unplanned nature of works had led to major routes within the city, leading to the hospitals across Panjim being fully or partially closed thereby impeding access to health services for residents and patients, who are grappling with various health ailments. The entire city is replete with road blocks, which can potentially deny access in cases of emergency thereby posing serious threat to life of patients and residents.
The petitioners stated that the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) and the contractor had not adopted anti-smog guns, regular street sweeping using truck mechanical sweepers/vacuum cleaners and chemical methods.
In the other PIL writ petition, Christus C Lopes of Caranzalem and Sadanand Vaingankar have stated that the ongoing works has held the Panjim city to unprecedented chaotic situation for last more than two years and it appears that such situation will continue to haunt the residents of Panjim and people visiting the capital city for many more months to come if it is not regulated in strict manner.
Further the situation is likely to be aggravated on account of the upcoming monsoon season and there is likelihood of the city getting flooded on account of numerous unfinished works across Panjim city.
The works under Smart City project had resulted in the roads being dug up at every place and/or blocked at most of the places making it virtually impossible to commute on the roads in the city, the petitioners stated. They have also attached photographs of the works showing the present situation in the respect of the works carried out around the city such as road blockades, flooding, accident and deaths, road caving and air and dust pollution.
The State government, North Goa Collector, Corporation of The City of Panaji (CCP) and the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) and other authorities have been named as respondents.
Imagine Panaji Smart City clarify on tree cutting
PANJIM: The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd. (IPSCDL) has clarified that the recent tree felling near St Inez Creek is not associated with the Smart City Mission works.
Neither IPSCDL nor any of its collaborating agencies were involved in this action. The IPSCDL has affirmed its commitment to environmental consciousness and asserted that it has been unjustly implicated in this matter.