PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa on Tuesday directed that in the cases of illegal stone quarrying that are pending before the Director of Mines be disposed of within three months while also ordering that the mamlatdars to begin recovery proceedings against the offending parties where the matter is currently pending.
Hearing a petition filed concerning illegal stone quarrying in the State that was initially filed concerning a single case of illegal stone quarrying, the matter was soon expanded to include 23 instances of illegal stone quarrying.
Where recovery proceedings are ongoing, the High Court has directed that money should be recovered by the respective mamlatdars from the offending parties, Advocate General Devidas Pangam informed.
The High Court has issued directions that in cases where revision applications are filed against orders of recovery, the revision applications must be disposed of within three months. In cases where acquittals have been granted and the alleged offenders have been let off with a fine of Rs 4,000, the High Court has suggested that the orders of acquittal be placed before the single judge bench to consider whether suo motu powers can be exercised.
