The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA) has fined a builder Rs 50.8 lakh for not seeking environment clearance before starting a construction project covering an area of over 47,000sqm at Dabolim.
“As per the standard operating procedure for handling violation cases, the project proponent, who has initiated the project activities without obtaining prior environmental clearance, has to be penalised 1% of the total project cost. Further, the project proponent admitted that the project is being carried out without obtaining prior clearance, therefore the authority has decided to issue post facto environment clearance subject to imposition of 1% penalty on the total cost, ie Rs 50.8 lakh,” the Goa-SEIAA said at its meeting held last month.
The authority has laid down the condition that the project proponent shall not make any change in the surface layout plan or civil plan submitted to Goa-SEIAA without its prior permission.
“Further, progress will be reviewed after six months (minimum three times in a year) depending upon progress of the work,” the environment clearance to the project states.
The project proponent has been asked to provide a landscape bed that is 600mm wide and 600mm deep along the periphery of the plot to carry out plantation of trees.
“Treated water will be pumped through high flow drips on these beds to prevent outflow of treated sewage water outside the premises. Plant local varieties of fruit-bearing trees like kokum, mango, jamun. etc,” SEIAA stated.
At the time of construction itself, appropriate provision should be made to install rooftop solar panels, the Goa-SEIAA said.
Use of glass should be reduced up to 40% to bring down electricity consumption and load on air-conditioning, it said. “If necessary, use high quality double glass with special reflective coating for windows.”
