CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Saturday issued notices to the state government on a PIL seeking proper implementation of the Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001, and the Odisha Public Libraries Rules, 2016.
The division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice BP Routray issued the notice on the petition filed by Prabir Kumar Das, a high court lawyer, and fixed April 7 for hearing on the matter along with the response of the state government.
Appearing in person, Das submitted that the Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2001, was enacted for establishment of a network of public libraries in the state and to maintain, regulate, and integrate them to provide a comprehensive rural and urban library service. The state government had framed the rules to carry out the provisions of the Act in 2016 and constituted a directorate of public libraries in 2023.
“However, the government is yet to implement the Act in letter and spirit which provides for 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,” Das said.