Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday directed the Administrator and Secretary of St Cruz Village Panchayat to make operational the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) within six weeks or face action.
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When the matter came up for hearing, the Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice R N Laddha also directed the Deputy Director of the Panchayat Department to ensure compliance.
The court, during the last hearing, had issued a contempt notice to St Cruz Village Panchayat for failing to comply with its assurance to the court to make operational the MRF by June 20. Former sarpanch, who was asked to submit affidavit failed to do so after which the court directed his physical appearance on the next date of hearing along with the affidavit on failure to abide by its own undertaking to the court.
The High Court, in its notice, has directed the panchayat officials to reply as to why Contempt of Court proceedings should not be initiated against its Secretary and Sarpanch while posting the matter for the next hearing on July 17.
The court stated that any assistance to complete the MRF will be made including police protection to complete the facility while also pointed out that ongoing election code will not impact the work. However, it has directed the village panchayat to complete within the time frame else face action.
The judiciary has time and again pulled up several village panchayats for non-compliance. In one of its recent orders, the court observed that the panchayats should take all the steps necessary for providing and making operational the MRF facilities. The last hearing also saw 14 village panchayats being issued notice over the issue.
