http://oheraldo.in/node/9155
Can Calapur salt pans be saved? BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 30 — Treating a letter expressing concern over willful ecological destruction of low-lying Calapur salt pans, at St Cruz and mangroves for commercial gains as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday directed the State Government to take serious note of the petition. Goa Su-raj Party spokesman, Floriano Lobo in his letter to the court on December 28, 2005 stated that surreptitious developments have taken place on the low-lying mangrove filled Calapur salt pans and natural ponds in Santa Cruz, where a huge commercial-cum-residential housing complex is proposed to be built with utter contempt of the existing rules and regulations. Treating his letter as a PIL the court ordered Lobo to file an affidavit. His affidavit stated that land in question with survey Nos 540/2; 541/3; and 541/4 in St Cruz, registered in the name of M/s Hara Housing and Land Development Company Private Limited is a salt-pan and is surrounded on all sides with riparine vegetation and ninety per cent of the land is presently covered with salt water. Prior to the grant of approval there was an inspection of the said land done by Ashok Kumar of the Town and Country Planning Department who stated that the area sought for change of zone is a low lying area. A water body is located in the said area. No settlement is surrounding the area. Change for use of the land is not desirable. -- Salaam ali kum. Gabe Menezes. London, England
