Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 21: As the authorities have failed to demarcate the boundaries of River Sindh, the High Court pulled up and sought personal appearance of Commissioner / Secretaries of Revenue and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments in case they fail to submit the time line and compliance on the issue.
Court observed that till date nothing has been brought on record to indicate that the demarcation work has been accomplished. The Government counsel requested that he may be granted some time to bring a fresh report in this regard on record.
“Already sufficient time has been allowed to the authorities for demarcation of the Sindh Nallah (river) but the work is not being completed for one reason or the other”, Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sanjay Dhar said and directed for personal appearance of Commissioner / Secretaries of Revenue and I&FC departments in case reports on demarcation of river is not filed by next date of hearing in the matter.
The Court previously had directed the Advocate General to inform as to the time within which demarcation of River Sindh would be completed and removal of encroachment would be done. ” In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, we require a compliance report to be filed not only by the Secretary, Revenue Department but also by the Secretary, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, clearly stating as to what has been done till date for the purposes of demarcation of the river and as to how much time is proposed to be taken for completion of the above task”, the DB today directed.
The Court is seized of the matter pertaining to prevent the River Sindh situated in Central Kashmir’s District Ganderbal, from pollutants and encroachments by raising illegal construction around the banks of river as such sought demarcation of boundaries of the River.
The DB has clarified that in case the reports are not filed within a period of three weeks from today, both the officers shall personally attend the court and explain the reasons for not completing the demarcation.
The court also directed the Advocate General to ensure compliance of the directions contained in the order passed on August 11, 2021 with regard to convening of meeting of the officers and to submit a report thereon on the next date.
Court had directed the AG to take up the matter by convening a meeting with the concerned officers and if necessary, may even invite the Amicus Curie for discussion therein and resolve all the issues pertaining to the river Sindh.
The directions followed after the amicus to the PIL advocate Nadeem Qadri in relation to the prevention of pollution of River Sindh has come out with certain suggestions. Court has directed to take up the matter and submit its response on these suggestions.
Court in order to avoid overlapping of issues pertaining to water bodies has already clarified that these issues shall be dealt with by the court separately and the instant petition would be confined to its original subject which is prevention of pollution of River Sindh and removal of illegal and authorized constructions in and around it.
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