N.M. Jamdar, J.

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Respondents waive service. By consent of the learned Advocate General and the learned counsel for the Petitioner, the petition is taken up for disposal.

2. The Petitioner has challenged the order passed by Conservator of Forests, Forest Department, Panaji Goa, the Appellate Authority, dated 7 March 2018 and has sought to restrain the Respondent Nos. 2 and 4 from felling any trees at the proposed Mopa Airport site in terms of the permission granted by the Tree Officer, dated 6 February 2018 to cut 21703 trees.

3. The Petitioner has made necessary averments regarding the locus of the petition to maintain the petition in public interest and as the Petitioner fulfills the criteria for maintaining the Public Interest Litigation, we have entertained the petition.

4. The Petitioner had filed an Appeal No.3/2018 before the Appellate Authority constituted under the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, challenging the permission granted by Respondent No.1-the Tree Officer for felling 21703 trees at Mopa Airport site. The petition was mentioned for circulation yesterday by the learned counsel for the Petitioner that