PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Friday asked the Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP), municipal councils and village panchayats to take appropriate action against the illegal hoardings/signages in their respective areas by April end.
The High Court also asked the CCP to place on record details of the action taken in a tabular form against hoardings which are put up illegally or what action has been taken and whether any appeal has been filed and to submit details of hoardings removed within its jurisdiction.
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During the last hearing of suo motu writ petition, the High Court had granted time to Amicus Curiae Adv S D Lotlikar to verify about the orders passed by the Corporation of the City of Panjim, which are produced along with the affidavit. Time was granted to the applicant/intervenors to produce photographs and other details of the hoardings/signages which are exhibited across the areas of the Panjim and beyond.
The applicant/intervenors submitted photographs and details of the hoardings/signages erected across Panjim and beyond and the same are taken on record even as Amicus Curiae stated that many of the photographs submitted were already part of the record and the same has been brought to the notice of the High Court.
The Division Bench comprising Justice M S Karnik and Justice Valmiki S A Menezes observed that though affidavits had been filed by some of the municipal councils and village panchayats, compliance with the High Court order dated February 3, 2023, for the purpose of filing responses by some respondents was still awaited and directed them to file their responses with regard to illegal hoardings and signages erected without any permission, within next three weeks.
Earlier, senior counsel Adv Coelho Pereira, appearing for CCP submitted that action has been taken against the illegal hoardings/signages which are exhibited within its jurisdiction.
He said that though action has been taken, some of the hoarding owners had filed appeals under relevant provisions and the same were under consideration. Similarly, lawyers appearing for other municipal councils and village panchayats submitted that action is being taken against illegal hoardings and signages in their respective limits.
The matter has now been posted for the next hearing on April 28.
