It is surrounded by the villages of Porvorim, Parra, Guirim, Sangolda, Pilerne, Candolim, Calangute and Nagoa and is in Bardez Taluka of Goa.

In recent years, Saligão, which is just outside the North Goa beach-belt, has seen significant concerns over the large-scale sale of ground-water from a number of wells in the village, particularly at Donvaddo.

"The location is bound to have grievous consequences for the environment, health and water supplies," the petition filed by green lawyer Norma Alvares of the Goa Foundation argued.

Its summary said: "Extraction of groundwater for commercial sale outside the village has risen sharply in the last five years, to a level of up to 435,000 litres per day.

It noted that more than half of 28 household wells surveyed in Don Vaddo and Sonarbhat went dry in April/May 2001, a normal monsoon year.