The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA) has provided additional time to the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) located in Dhargalim, Pernem, to explain its failure to pay the outstanding penalty imposed for violations during the institute's construction.
Penalty Details and Non-Payment
The accountant general (audit) for Goa state, in a letter dated February 3, informed the Goa-SEIAA that AIIA was required to pay a penalty equivalent to 1% of the total project cost, which amounts to Rs 1.3 crore based on the project cost of Rs 135 crore. Additionally, the institute was required to pay 0.25% of the turnover earned during the period of violation to obtain ex-post facto environmental clearance. However, it has been observed that AIIA has paid only Rs 23 lakh of the total penalty amount so far, leaving Rs 1.2 crore yet to be recovered.
Hearing and Extension Granted
In response to the audit observations, the Goa-SEIAA summoned AIIA to submit its response during a hearing held on March 25. Representatives of the institute appeared before the authority and requested additional time to provide clarifications. Consequently, the Goa-SEIAA granted AIIA 15 days to make its submissions. The penalty was originally imposed on the institute in 2022.
History of Violations
The Goa-SEIAA had received an application for environmental clearance for the AIIA project in 2021. However, when a team visited the Dhargalim site for inspection, they discovered that construction was already underway, indicating that environmental clearance was being sought much later. The authority observed that environmental damage had already occurred and decided that ex-post facto approval could be granted only subject to payment of a penalty amounting to 1% of the project development cost.
Background of the Project
The foundation stone for the All India Institute of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy was laid by the then Ayush minister Shripad Naik in November 2018. However, environmental clearances were sought more than two years later, leading to the current penalty situation.
