*Lauds LAWDA for seriously handling vital issues
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 6: Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta has directed the Principal Secretary Revenue Department and Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department to examine the issue of relocation and rehabilitation of persons within and around the Dal Lake and come up with a proper action plan with regard to the various measures which are to be taken and place the same in court before the next date of hearing.
About declaring the Dal Lake and surrounding areas as Eco Sensitive Zone, the DB directed the Commissioner Secretaries of Housing & Urban Development and Forest, Ecology and Environment Departments to take urgent steps for preparation and approval of the proposal in this regard. “The same should be forwarded to the concerned Competent Authority of the Government of India within a reasonable timeframe of two months if not already done”, the DB added.
When the PIL came up for hearing, the DB observed that pursuant to orders dated 07th of October 2020 and 28th of October 2020 read with order dated 19th November 2020, reports have been filed by the respondent-authorities— Committee of Experts, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) and Department of Floriculture.
Pointing towards report of Committee of Experts regarding renovation and refurbishment of STPs, sewage management, de-weeding, delineation and demarcation of land, the DB said, “the committee has reported some changes in the mindset of the public servants within LAWDA and also that the sense of public service has grown through the action which have been taken”, adding “we note the complement paid to the existing Vice Chairman of LAWDA by the Committee of Experts, which has observed that it was “heartening to note the widening of perspective on the issue among the top officials led by the forward-looking Vice Chairman of LAWDA”.
With regard to rehabilitation of Dal dwellers, the Court directed the Principal Secretary Revenue and Commissioner Secretary H&UDD to examine the issue and come up with a proper Action Plan. About declaring the lake and its surroundings as Eco-Sensitive Zone, the report reveals the issue is unnecessarily languishing with the Government Departments and accordingly, the DB directed the Secretaries of H&UDD as also to Forest, Ecology and Environment to take urgent steps for preparation and approval of the proposal in this connection.
DB directed the proposal be forwarded to the concerned competent authority of the Government of India within a reasonable timeframe of two months if not already done. “A report in this regard shall be placed before the CoE and this court before the next date of hearing failing which both the Secretaries shall remain present personally in the court on the next date of hearing”, the DB added.
DB directed the Tourism Department to forthwith prepare an action plan, announce guidelines and take immediate steps for registration of Shikaras and all other vessels on the lake. With regard to refurbishment of existing STPs, sewage management, de-weeding, managing sewage from houseboats, stoppage of vegetable cultivation, the DB directed that a detailed O&M contract be entered with the agency concerned with close monitoring as per prescribed procedure and daily effluent quality test by both LAWDA and PCB and any abnormalities should set alarm bell ringing.
“Set up display monitors outside each STP where the daily test result should be scrolled and weekly report to CoE to enable the Committee to continue monitoring the effluent quality and raise alarm bells in case of poor results”, DB directed. About the issue relating the flow of sewage into the lake, the High Court directed the same be brought to the notice of Chief Secretary.
The DB directed the LAWDA to make a clear and cogent detailed contract of de-weeding machineries to cover O&M support and warranty agreements with the supplier as per prescribed procedures. The LAWDA has further been directed to ensure full time representative of supplier in Srinagar for one year and supplier to provide handholding to LAWDA in operating the machinery as and when required.
The DB further directed the LAWDA to ensure that the result of Drone Survey and GIS Data is prepared by it and is properly maintained and be put in the public domain. “The Government shall take urgent steps to construct a western peripheral road on the lake in order to prevent encroachments”, read the other direction.
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