SC notice to govt, developer for construction of villas at Siolim

Panaji: The Supreme Court issued notices to Goa govt and a project developer in a special leave petition (SLP) that challenges the order of the Bombay high court dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) that opposed the construction of eight luxury villas with private swimming pools at Oxel at Siolim.

The notices are returnable by April 13. Petitioner Suraj Chodankar objected to the project, claiming it fell within 34.5m of Oxel spring— a 363-year-old perennial spring— that serves as a crucial water source for residents. The HC relied on the hydrogeological report of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), which concluded that the construction was unlikely to cause any disruption to Oxel spring.


The SLP stated that the HC erred in law by accepting CGWB’s expert report. The objective of the SLP was to prevent a luxury project that is unsustainable, inappropriate for local conditions, and threatens an irreplaceable community resource. “The Oxel spring is a reliable source of drinking water, especially considering that Siolim residents are facing a water deficit of 7MLD against total demand of 15.4MLD,” the petition stated.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !