The Bombay High Court at Goa has allowed the Goa Foundation and Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Co-op Society Ltd., Goa, to be impleaded as respondents in a writ petition filed by South West Port Ltd.(SWPL). The SWPL petition was filed to seek clarification/modification of an order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Delhi, restraining authorities from granting CRZ/environment clearances unless Integrated Coastal Management Plans of all coastal States have been prepared and approved. SWPL is one of the parties using the Goa-based Mormugao Port for importing of coal, and whose expansion plans are being opposed by environment groups. The SWPL first approached NGT, Delhi, where the application was opposed by Goa Foundation, an environmental NGO. SWPLthen withdrew it’s application from the NGT and filed it as a writ petition in the Bombay High Court. The latest court order, which came on march 13, has directed the new respondents (Goa Foundation and Old Cross) to file their replies two weeks from the date of the order. The matter would be taken up on April 4. The expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had decided to recommend the SWPL proposal seeking enhancement of coal handling at MPT for environment clearance despite the fact that an eight-day public hearing opposed such clearance. The Goa Chief Minister and State Pollution Control Board too had opposed it. The MoEF, however, declined to grant the environment clearance in view of NGT’s order. The Goa Foundation and Old Cross Fishing Canoe filed an application to be named respondents as they wished to bring on record several documents related to the issue for the benefit of the court’s adjudication in public interest. The application was opposed by SWPL.