PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has restrained the Colva Village Panchayat from issuing fresh construction licences after an inspection by the Goa State Pollution Control Board found that the material recovery facility (MRF) that was set up in the village was only a temporary structure and not a permanent one.
“In so far as several panchayats in the State are concerned, interim orders have been made restraining such panchayats from issuing construction/development licences until the MRF is provided to deal with the issue of solid waste management. Now that it is reported that the Village Panchayat of Colva does not have a permanent MRF, it is only appropriate that the Village Panchayat of Colva is restrained from issuing fresh construction/development permissions until this facility is provided and made operational,” the Bombay High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and Valmiki Sa Menezes, said.
The High Court said that whether such a facility is indeed provided and made operational, shall be decided after the panchayat makes a report to the GSPCB and the GSPCB, on inspection, files an affidavit before this Court that a permanent MRF is provided by the Colva Village Panchayat and the same is made operational.
Similarly, the Batim panchayat was restrained from issuing construction permissions after their MRF facility was yet to be set up.
“The Village Panchayat of Batim is, prima facie, in contempt. Despite directions of this Court, and notices by the Director of Panchayats still, no suitable permanent MRF is provided by this panchayat. The panchayat is now restrained from issuing construction/development permissions until a permanent MRF is provided,” the High Court also said.
