HC gets tough on garbage sites, ‘black spots’ in Goa

the goan I network

PANAJI

The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed all village panchayats and municipalities to clear garbage sites and ‘black spots’ within their jurisdictions by February 15 as also to set up sites within their jurisdictions for material recovery.   

In an order which was issued on January 14, the court also ordered the Directorate of Panchayats to take up a drive for compliance of its directions.   

Based on earlier directions of the High Court, which found plastic waste in form of litter or dumps, created alongside roads or corners or sides of the buildings and referred to them as black spots, the Directorate of Panchayats in a circular issued earlier this month asked all panchayats to “conduct mass cleanliness drives to clear all the “Black Spots and Littered Waste” found within their respective jurisdiction within 15 days.   

“We direct all the Village Panchayats, whether they be parties to this petition or not, to comply with the directions set out in the aforesaid circular dated 09.01.2019. We also direct all the Village Panchayats to ensure that the black spots and the littered waste, found within their respective jurisdiction, is cleared latest by 10.02.2019. The Village Panchayats should thereafter make their report to the Directorate of Panchayats latest by 15.02.2019. The report should specifically state the number of black spots cleared and the location from which such black spots were cleared,” the High Court ruled.   

“It is essential that the Panchayats set up such Material Recovery Facilities, without which, it will be very difficult to deal with the issue 

All Panchayats and whether they are parties to  this petition or not are to comply with directions

Must ensure black spots & littered waste within jurisdictions is cleared by 10.02.2019

Panchayats should file report to Directorate of Panchayats latest by 15.02.2019

Report should  specifically state number of black spots cleared and location  from which such black spots were cleared

Essential that panchayats set up Material  Recovery Facilities to deal  with waste collection

Panchayats who have not undertaken this exercise must identify locations for setting up the  Material Recovery Facilities and apply to GSPCB for  clearance/approval