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Bombay High Court

Govind Kusta Gaonkar vs Directorate Of Mines And Geology Thr. ... on 23 March, 2026

                                       11 WP 312 2022

   vinita

             IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA
             WRIT PETITION NO.312 OF 2022
                        WITH
  WRIT PETITION NO.267 OF 2023, MISC.CIVIL APPLICATION
                     NO.283 OF 2024
                 WRIT PETITION NO.312 OF 2022
BUDHO ARJUN GAONKAR                         ... PETITIONER
  Versus
THE STATE OF GOA THR. CHIEF
SECRETARY AND 11 ORS                        ... RESPONDENTS
                            WITH
                  WRIT PETITION NO.267 OF 2023
GOVIND KUSTA GAONKAR                         ... PETITIONER
  Versus
DIRECTORATE OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
THR. ITS DIRECTOR AND ANR                    ... RESPONDENTS

                            WITH
            MISC.CIVIL APPLICATION NO.283 OF 2024
THE DIRECTOR OF MINES AND GEOLOGY          ... APPLICANT
  Versus
BUDHO ARJUN GAONKAR                        ... RESPONDENTS

Mr. Om D'Costa and Ms Tahira Menezes, Amicus Curiae.
Ms. Maria Simone Correia, Additional Government Advocate
for Respondent Nos.1 to 4, 9 and 10.
Ms. S. Khedekar, Advocate holding for Mr Sameer Khedekar
Advocate for Respondent No. 5.
Mr. Manish Salkar, Government Advocate for Respondent No. 6.
Ms.S. Veluskar, Advocate holding for Mr S. Gaonkar, Advocate
for Respondent No. 7.
Mr. S. S. Kantak, Senior Advocate with Ms Neha Kholkar, Ms
K. Naik, Advocates for Respondent No. 11.

                              CORAM:- VALMIKI MENEZES &
                                      AMIT S. JAMSANDEKAR, JJ.

DATED :- 23rd March, 2026 P.C. Page 1 of 3 23rd March, 2026 ::: Uploaded on - 23/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 23/03/2026 20:43:26 ::: 11 WP 312 2022 Mr Om D'Costa and Ms Tahira Menezes, learned Amicus Curiae have placed on record a note on the suggestion as to what steps have been taken for the restoration of a particular quarrying site.

2. Mr Kantak, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Respondent No. 11, submits that since the penalty imposed on the said Respondent has already been paid and deposited with the Department of Mines, Respondent No.11 be discharged from the Petition.

3. In response, Mr Om D'Costa and Ms Tahira Menezes, learned Amicus Curiae submit that the Department of Mines may assess whether the penalty amount deposited by the Respondent No.11 would be sufficient to remedy environmental compensation caused by extraction of illegal laterite quarrying from the Mines from the land Surveyed under No. 33/1 of village Borkotem, of Collem village, Mollem, Dharbandora, Goa.

4. A statement to that effect will be made by the Department of Mines on the next date of hearing.

5. Insofar as the 23 cases of illegal laterite quarrying referred to in the present petition are concerned, the Department of Mines is directed to place on record a detailed report indicating the stage of proceedings in respect of each of the said cases. The report shall also be furnished Page 2 of 3 23rd March, 2026 ::: Uploaded on - 23/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 23/03/2026 20:43:26 ::: 11 WP 312 2022 in a tabular form so as to clearly reflect the steps taken by the Department of Mines in that regard.

6. List this matter on 27.4.2026 at 2.30 p.m. AMIT S. JAMSANDEKAR, J. VALMIKI MENEZES, J.

23rd March, 2026 ::: Uploaded on - 23/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 23/03/2026 20:43:26 :::