HC seeks govt reply on plea seeking implementation of library Act & rules | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: Orissa high court on Saturday sought a reply from the state govt on a PIL seeking intervention for implementation of the Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001, and the Odisha Public Libraries Rules, 2016, “in letter and spirit”.
Prabir Kumar Das, a high court lawyer, filed the PIL alleging inaction of the state govt in creation of Odisha Public Libraries Council, Odisha Public Libraries Authority, Odisha Public Library Fund and public library committees in each of the 30 districts, as envisaged in the Act.
Appearing in person, Das also sought the court’s intervention for filling up the vacancies in all existing public libraries in the state, including Harekrushna Mahtab State Library in Bhubaneswar, where 48 out of the 58 posts are lying vacant.
Taking note of it, the two-judge bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice B P Routray issued notice to the state and posted the matter on April 7 for further consideration.
According to the petition, the 2001 law was enacted for establishment of a network of public libraries and to maintain, regulate, regulate and integrate them to provide a comprehensive rural and urban library services in the state.
The state govt had framed the Rules to carry out the provisions of the Act in 2016 and constituted a directorate of public libraries in 2023. But the govt is yet to implement the provisions of the Act, which is imperative to create/nurture reading habit among the public, the petition said.
Prabir Kumar Das, a high court lawyer, filed the PIL alleging inaction of the state govt in creation of Odisha Public Libraries Council, Odisha Public Libraries Authority, Odisha Public Library Fund and public library committees in each of the 30 districts, as envisaged in the Act.
Appearing in person, Das also sought the court’s intervention for filling up the vacancies in all existing public libraries in the state, including Harekrushna Mahtab State Library in Bhubaneswar, where 48 out of the 58 posts are lying vacant.
Taking note of it, the two-judge bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice B P Routray issued notice to the state and posted the matter on April 7 for further consideration.
According to the petition, the 2001 law was enacted for establishment of a network of public libraries and to maintain, regulate, regulate and integrate them to provide a comprehensive rural and urban library services in the state.
The state govt had framed the Rules to carry out the provisions of the Act in 2016 and constituted a directorate of public libraries in 2023. But the govt is yet to implement the provisions of the Act, which is imperative to create/nurture reading habit among the public, the petition said.
