Garbage on Panaji-Old Goa Bypass: HC issues notice to Merces panchayat

Justice Prithviraj Chavan of the Bombay High Court at Goa on Wednesday directed that notice be issued to the Merces Panchayat over the inaction of the authorities against the continued dumping of building debris and garbage along the Panaji-Old Goa bypass road. Justice Chavan adjourned the matter to October 31st for further hearing.

Appearing on behalf of the State of Goa, Adv. Pravin Phaldesai pleaded that notice not be issued yet to the Government as he would first file a detailed reply before the next hearing on the steps taken by the Government in the matter.

The contempt of Court petition filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues. In the petition, he had pointed out that in 2007 a Public Interest Litigation was filed over the rampant dumping of building debris along the Panaji-Old Goa bypass road. The High Court finally disposed of all petitions on 26th June 2008 based on a Minutes of Order that was signed and submitted to the Court.

 In the Minutes of Order, the Goa Government had undertaken to continue and take to its logical conclusion investigations into the dumping of construction debris on the Panaji-Old Goa bypass.

  It had also undertaken to within three months identify and designate separate places for safe disposal of building debris without harming the environment besides also having undertaken to within three months identify and place at proper convenient locations public receptacles, depots or places for temporary deposit or collection of non-biodegradable garbage.