PANJIM: The village panchayats in the State will be directed to initiate action against illegal hoardings within their respective jurisdiction using provisions under the building regulation act.
While hearing a suo motu writ petition in the matter of illegal hoardings, Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the High Court of Bombay at Goa that a circular will be issued by the Director of Panchayats to this effect to all the village panchayats within next 15 days.
The government also told the court that action will be initiated against village panchayats, which fail to take such actions against illegal hoardings in their jurisdiction as per the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, for failing to perform their duties.
During the last hearing, senior advocate S D Lotlikar, who has been appointed as amicus curiae, had produced a letter addressed to him by the Siolim Civic And Consumer Forum along with photographs showing hoardings right in the middle of the road and by the side of the road, which were in the line of sight of the driving vehicles thereby compromising the safety of the vehicular traffic.
It was submitted that these hoardings were erected without any permission from the authorities. The Court had expected the PWD to take appropriate action in accordance with law if these hoardings were erected without any permissions or were not in accordance with the hoardings policy.
The Court had also asked an advertising agency from Vasco and a city builder to file their affidavits for displaying hoardings on electricity poles and on top of buildings brightly illuminated respectively.
