PANJIM: The State government has approved the policy to
regulate and determine issuance of permissions and monitoring of hoardings
across the State.
The policy has been prepared by a 15-member committee headed
by Secretary (Revenue), constituted in December last year as per the directives
by the High Court.
During the hearing of a suo moto writ petition, Additional
Government Advocate Deep Shirodkar told the Court that the government has
approved the policy and the same would be notified shortly.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) submitted that
the illegal hoarding, erected at Santa Inez intersection, which was causing
obstruction to the vehicular traffic, as pointed out by Amicus Curiae during
the previous date of hearing, has been removed by the Corporation. It also
produced the list of the matters where action was initiated by the CCP.
The affidavit filed by the Penha de Franca village panchayat
stated that the directions for the demolition of about 21 structures/hoardings
have already been issued and placed on record the report. The Court had
observed that 17 hoardings were issued by the panchayat before the Land
Development and Building Construction Regulation 2010 came into force.
The village panchayat stated that all new hoardings which
were erected after the filing of the affidavit were removed while, some of the
illegal hoardings have been ordered to be demolished.
Regarding one hoarding which has been erected across the
river by a tobacco company was ordered to be demolished by the village
panchayat but the order was challenged before the Deputy Director of Panchayats
and the proceedings are pending since 2017.
The Court has directed the Additional Director
of Panchayats to dispose the appeal filed by the tobacco company within a month
from the date of receipt of this order while, the village panchayat has been asked to file additional affidavit by stating
whether the hoardings are in violation of the CRZ Regulations.
The Mapusa Municipal Council in its affidavit has stated
that the Council has identified about 65 hoardings and that investigation is in
progress to ascertain as to whether the hoardings are illegal. It further
stated that requisite action will be initiated within a period of eight weeks
against the illegal hoardings and compliance report will be submitted to this
Court.
