PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa hearing a PIL filed by the Goa Foundation alleging misuse of District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds for purposes other than they were intended for, has asked the Goa government to file a detailed affidavit explaining the use of the funds and what criteria were followed.
Speaking after the hearing, Advocate General Devidas Pangam, said that the High Court gave the government three weeks to file the affidavit.
“The court has told us to file an affidavit and explain what is the issue that is to be followed with regard to the procedure which has to be followed with regard to this DMF and how and in what manner these applications are to be decided, how much time has to be taken for deciding these applications. What types of cases or applications should be considered and what should not be accepted,” Adv Pangam said.
“With regard to some of the proposals which were granted in the meeting. On what basis and on what criteria and which rules were -- the eligibility such approvals were granted. They were supposed to be explained by us. We will file an affidavit and explain it,” he added.
The Goa Foundation has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition challenging some of the expenditure incurred under the DMF arguing that the monies should be spent on the mining affected people in mining affected areas.
The High Court bench of the Chief Justice and Justice M S Sonak also asked the state government to develop a more comprehensive website for the DMF including having more details uploaded concerning projects.
There was a petition which was a PIL. One thing was that the operation of the website: The Court felt that there have to be more details which have to be put up on the website."In principle we have not disputed that, we will find out what improvements we can make on the website." Adv Pangam said.
The High Court also recommended that the government set up a secretariat for the District Mineral Fund appointment of some officers to manage the affairs of this fund. “That is what the government is supposed to consider and we will consider,” Adv Pangam said.
