Team Herald
PANJIM: The village panchayats (VP) and urban local bodies (ULB) that continue to show laxity in setting up Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), and sarpanchas who failed to pay penalty faced the High Court’s heat.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa had last year directed 13 village panchayats to stop issuing construction licences until the facility is built within eight weeks and made operational. The directions came following a report by the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) that there were 13 VPs in North District that did not set up the facility.
However, complying with the directions five out of 13 village panchayats set up temporary MRF and upon verification by the GWMC, the HC vacated the interim order qua to these five VPs.
During the hearing, the Additional Government Advocate who appeared for the GWMC submitted to the Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice R N Laddha that the Corporation will verify the status of MRF in the balance seven VPs and prepare a report within two weeks.
The Bench said that it will consider whether to vacate the restraint order in these VPs depending on the report.
In so far as the South Goa District is concerned, there are 15 panchayats without any MRF. Some of these panchayats have filed compliance reports. However, the GWMC is asked to verify the status of MRF of all these VPs and file a report by the next date, on March 2.
Counsel for the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) further informed the HC that six out of nine sarpanchas who were directed to pay fine of Rs 5,000 personally have paid the fine. Rest have not paid fine.
“Accordingly, we direct the Director of Panchayats to serve the notices on these sarpanchas requiring them to show cause as to why action should not be taken against them for remiss of their duties which might inter alia involve their removal. The Director of Panchayats to file compliance report by the next date,” reads the order by the Division Bench.
Further, the GSPCB had directed 14 ULBs, that is, municipalities to comply with its directions in terms of SMW Rules, 2016. These ULBs have also submitted the bank guarantees as security for compliance. Except Bicholim and the Corporation of the City of Panaji, rest of the ULBs have not yet complied with and therefore, even their bank guarantees were encashed.
The GSPCB Counsel pointed out that now some ULBs filed affidavits claiming compliances and GSPCB will verify the position and file report of compliance by the next date.
The HC has directed the Sancoale Panchayat to file its response to a complaint within two weeks. The GWMC and GSPCB to file affidavits of status report/compliances/verification.
