MAPUSA
Notices issued to plant nursery owners in Bardez appears to have paid off, as proprietors have begun to queue up at the Zonal Agriculture Office (ZAO) seeking clarification about licences and installation of notice boards at the nursery site.
Recently, the ZAO in a notice to the nursery owners had urged them to comply with The Goa Fruit & Ornamental Plant Nurseries (Regulation) Act 1995 and display signboard with the license number and other details at the sale points.
In the notice the ZAO had warned the owners that in case of failure to comply with the order the department will lodge a complaint with the local police to take action against such nurseries.
“Most nursery owners have approached us after receiving the notice seeking clarification. Some have begun the process of renewing the licence. We are monitoring the situation on the ground,” said Prasad Parab, ZAO Pernem, who holds additional charge of Bardez.
It may be recalled the ZAO had issued notices to 22 nursery owners in Bardez following their failure to procure license or erect the display board as per the directions of the Directorate of Agriculture.
Parab said the department will give some time to the nursery owners to comply with the order and thereafter if they fail to fulfill the conditions action will be initiated against them.
“We will file a police complaint against the defaulting nursery owners. The police are bound to seize their items,” Parab said.
The Directorate of Agriculture had recently issued a public notice calling all the licensed nurseries in the State to display signboards with the name of the nursery, address, owner’s name, license no, date of issue and the validity date at the sale premises.
Further, a photocopy of the installed signboard has to be submitted to the ZAO of the taluka where the license was issued. Following the public notice, 16 persons had applied for renewal or fresh licence in Bardez ZAO. Out of the 16, four licenses were found in order while 12 others were rejected for various reasons.
