PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday issued a directive to the Sarpanch of St Lawrence Village Panchayat, ordering to deposit Rs 5 lakh over its failure to set up a permanent Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and ensure it is operational, as previously stated in court through an undertaking.
The Division Bench of Justice M S Sonak and Justice B P Deshpande has also summoned the Sarpanchas and Secretaries of two village panchayats — St Lawrence and Bhati, to appear before it on Wednesday.
When the matter came up for further hearing on Tuesday, the Court noted that the two VPs had not adhered to their own undertakings that permanent MRFs in their respective areas will be made operational at the earliest.
While the summons order was issued, the Sarpanch of St Lawrence has been directed to deposit Rs 5 lakh in two parts – Rs 3 lakh by Wednesday, and the balance Rs 2 lakh within 15 days.
The high court has pulled up VPs who have failed to comply with the directions with the Public Interest Litigation being heard for over a year now.
The Court has in the past too issued various legislations and rules requiring them to have such MRFs. Around 13 VPs were last year asked to stop issuing construction licenses until the facility is built within eight weeks. Quite a few had penalties imposed on them and officials were summoned to the Court.
https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/%EF%BB%BFhc-summons-sarpanchas-secys-of-2-pyats-over-mrf-issue-today/100166.html
