PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday asked the Director of Panchayats and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to initiate action against 13 alleged illegal structures operating as dance bars and pubs situated within the jurisdiction of the Calangute Village Panchayat,.
During the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition, the Calangute Village Panchayat informed the Court that there are 13 illegal structures, which do not have necessary permissions including Occupancy Certificate and are operating as dance bars and pubs within their premises.
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Adv Pranoy Kamat appearing for the Calangute panchayat told the Court that the panchayat had already issued demolition notices to seven of these structures and that they had now appealed before the Director of Panchayats against the demolition order. The Court asked the Director of Panchayat to speedily dispose of these appeals.
The Division Bench comprising Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes also asked the GSPCB to check if any of these 13 structures were operating without obtaining consent to operate, and if so to start the closure process.
The PIL writ petition against dance bars and pubs operating from allegedly illegal structures within the jurisdiction of Calangute Panchayat has been filed by former panchayat member Sudesh Mayekar and Kundan Kerkar.
Adv Rohit Bras De Sa prayed that the dance bars be banned since they were illegal and run in unauthorised structures without obtaining occupancy certificate and trade licence and to seal these premises.
