PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has issued instructions to the State government to expeditiously decide appeals filed by the casino operators challenging the Corporation of the City of Panaji’s (CCP) order to pull down the advertisement hoardings.
During the hearing of a suo motu writ petition, taken up way back in 2007, on Friday, the Court also made Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority a party to reply about the status of hoardings put up along the bank of River Mandovi at Betim.
The CCP, in its submission, informed the Court that out of 61 notices issued to the violators for the removal of the hoardings, casino operators challenged the order before the government. The Bench thereafter asked the State to decide the matter at the earliest.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam assured the Court that it will decide the appeals expeditiously as he maintained the hoardings are in violation of the rules.
During the last hearing, the High Court had directed all the civic bodies to submit details of the illegal hoardings and action taken against them. Mapusa municipality among a few others has sought time to submit the details, which was agreed to by the court.
The Bench also granted an extension of three months to the committee to formulate guidelines about hoardings.
