The Western Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal at Pune, has formally closed the Suo motu proceedings concerning a proposed land conversion project on Pilerne Hill in Goa. NGT has ruled that the allegations raised in the news item lacked merit following clarifications submitted by state departments.

​The tribunal had taken Suo motu cognizance of a media report published on July 19, 2025, which claimed that a 20,000 square meter land conversion in Pilerne Village, Bardez Taluka, posed severe landslide risks and threatened a nearby lake.

​During the proceedings, affidavits filed by state environmental and urban planning bodies clarified key factual discrepancies in the published report. The Environment Department of the State of Goa confirmed that Survey Nos. 37/0 and 37/1 in Pilerne Village do not fall under any notified Eco-Sensitive Area or Eco-Sensitive Zone . Furthermore, no protected areas, such as National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, or Conservation Reserves, exist in the immediate vicinity.

The Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department filed an additional affidavit explaining that Survey Nos. 37/0 and 37/1 constitute a single property (admeasuring approximately 1,22,500 m^2), contrary to the media report describing them as separate entities. The department noted that no separate change-of-zone application had been processed under Section 39A of the TCP Act for Survey No. 37/0, nor had any No Objection Certificate (NOC) for development been issued.

Addressing concerns over slope steepness, the TCP Department clarified that land with a gradient exceeding 25% is categorized as a "No Development Slope" (NDS) under Goa’s Regional Plan (RP)-2021. Out of a 30,000 m^2 zone conversion request submitted by developer Mathias Construction, only 20,000 m^2—where the gradient is strictly under 25%—was recommended.

The NGT ordered that development would only be permitted on portions with gradients below safe regulatory thresholds (less than 20%), mitigating any potential risk of landslides. Satisfied with the responses confirming that the site is neither an eco-sensitive zone nor prone to landslide hazards under the recommended development parameters, the NGT concluded closed the suo moto proceeding.