NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday asked Leading Hotels Ltd, the promoter of Tiracol golf course and resort project, to obtain afresh tenancy free certificates for the project.
The order came on a petition filed by the St Anthony’s Mundkar and Tenant Association-Tiracol and others challenging approvals from the town and country planning and the Goa State Pollution Control Board for the golf course and resort project.
The petition had argued that if constructed the project would occupy all the tenanted agricultural lands of Tiracol.
The High Court said the deputy collector would now decide afresh about the tenancy free certificates in accordance with laid down stipulations.
The association had been demanding a stay on the project and cancellation of all permissions granted for it.
The petition had claimed that the entire land area of Tiracol village admeasures some 13,84,000 sq.mts, and the tenanted land comprises 11,27,097 sq.mts. of the total land.
In other words, 90 per cent of the land of the village was tenanted on October 8, 1976 (Tillers Day).
The petitioners had also challenged the permission granted for setting up the golf course by the town and country planning, the consent from the GSPCB, the environment clearance issued by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and sanads granted by the North Goa collector.
The petition had challenged the diversion of land for setting up the golf course in violation of the provisions of the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act 1974 and Goa Land Use Act 1991.
The High Court had earlier by an interim order allowed Leading Hotels to construct two model villas as per the licences granted to the company for its golf course and resort project.