MARGAO: Individuals, businesses and advertisers that erect hoardings in public places; on roads and in areas of public interest will soon face action, even as the South Goa District Collector on Tuesday issued directions to all the local bodies to remove all illegal hoardings in their jurisdiction, within three months.
An order issued by District Collector Jyoti Kumari states that the High Court has expressed serious concern about the issue of illegal hoardings at public places, which are posing a public nuisance and also prone to causing road accidents.
It is pertinent to note that the High Court of Bombay at Goa recently slammed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for not filing the affidavit regarding action taken against the illegal erection of hoardings.
On November 17, 2022, the High Court had granted time to the authorities concerned, to submit these affidavits, including the State authorities, local authorities as well as the NHAI, specifically mentioning that the affidavits be served at least three days in advance, to the amicus curiae. However, these directions were not complied with, and only the affidavits filed by both the District Collectors were handed over, when the matter was called out.
Upon the orders, all the Deputy Collectors and SDMs had submitted the requisite details after conducting site inspections, and these reports indicate that there are several illegal hoardings at various locations in Salcete, Mormugao and Ponda, in violation of the law.
The District Collector has directed the local bodies to issue show cause notices to the concerned individual/agencies, etc, who have erected illegal hoardings and remove the same including the frame and structure on which such hoardings are mounted and restore the land to its original condition within three months.
The District Collector has further asked the local body concerned to ensure that no further hoardings are erected in their respective jurisdiction and asked them to conduct regular site inspections of such areas, as well.
