PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has asked the committee constituted by the government to formulate guidelines to grant permission for erection of hoardings/signages across the State as early as possible and submit a report within next three months.
In December last, the State government had constituted a 15-member committee under the chairmanship of Secretary (Revenue) to regulate and determine issuance of permission and monitoring of hoardings as per the directives of the High Court.
During the hearing, it was informed that the government is in process of formulating guidelines for the purpose of permission for erection of hoardings/signages in the entire State. We expect that the committee should form such guidelines.
The Division Bench comprising Justice B P Colabawalla and Justice B P Deshpande also directed the village panchayats and municipal councils to submit their responses in affidavit format within next 15 days after amicus curie Adv Saresh Lotlikar reported that some village panchayats and municipal councils had filed their affidavits as directed till date.
The court further granted time to the Amicus Curiae to verify about the orders passed by Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) after the lawyer appearing for the intervenor, sought time to furnish the photographs and other details of the signages and the hoardings which are exhibited across Panjim city and beyond.
During the last hearing, Advocate General Devidas Pangam had told the court that the list of all the illegal hoardings across the State have been prepared and the local authorities such as village panchayats, municipal councils and CCP have been directed by both the District Magistrates to take necessary action on the violators.
Earlier, during the hearing of a suo moto writ petition, Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the court that list of all the illegal hoardings across the State have been prepared and the local authorities such as village panchayats, municipal councils and CCP have been directed by the both the District Collectors to take necessary action on the violators.
The High Court had admitted a suo motu writ petition regarding erection of illegal hoardings across the State while All Goa Hoarding Owners Association, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and four others have been made respondents.
