Posted on February 16, 2016
Pernem police have registered a first information report (FIR) against officials of Kiranpani Port Private Limited for allegedly dredging River Tiracol at Keri without valid permissions from competent authorities, Pernem police inspector (PI) Devendra Gad said.
The FIR has been registered based on a complaint filed by Sachin Parab and citizens of Keri, Tiracol, Paliem together with members of the Gram Bachao Samiti, Keri. The complaint stated that officials of Kiranpani Port Private Limited had carried out illegal dredging at the mouth of River Tiracol at Keri on November 3 last year.
A case has been registered under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and Sections 3 and 62(1) of the Goa Daman and Diu Minor Mineral Concession Rule, 1985.
Villagers of Keri-Tiracol recently took a delegation to the Pernem police station and even held a day-long dharna outside the premises in protest of police failure to file an FIR against the entity that had not only allegedly dredged the mouth of River Tiracol but had also overseen passage of barges in the river and the Arabian Sea sans permission from any governmental authority.
The delegation was led by former Keri sarpanch and panch member Francis Rodrigues, and advocate Prasad Shahapurkar.
In an interim order passed in December last year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Kiranpani Port Private Limited (White Orchid Estate Private Limited) not to dredge the mouth of River Tiracol without required permissions, till further hearing.
