Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 11: The High Court today observed the functioning of Monitoring Committee (MC) and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) for Dal lake is not satisfactory and directed them to submit their progress achieved till date.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey recorded that the monitoring committee and scientific advisory committee were formed and established but their job is not satisfactory as such directed both MC as also SAC to file their report indicating there-in the number of meetings held, passing of agendas as also resolutions in these meetings.
100 year old maps and photographs and relevant record have been placed before the court indicating there-in the total area of Dal lake is approximately 24 Sq Kms out of which 12.5 Sq Kms is water body, about 7.89 Sq Kms is wetland as well as flouting gardens and remaining area has spread on residential locality.
In so far water/water surface is concerned Court has been apprised that it is not altered so much as per the data of the LAWDA. However, Court said it would be subject to contrary of any scientific analysis.
“In order to find the volume of water in the lake it would be necessary to have 3D contouring process on surface of lake. We direct the LAWDA to take the exercise with the help of latest scientific methods so that in future the water level of the lake is determined”, court directed.
One of the major concerns, Court said, is deteriorating condition of water quality as 50 million litres of sewage find its place in the lake daily and out of which only 30 million litres are treated by STPs and 20 million litres remains untreated. Court directed for status of installation of additional STP and making it functional to meet the requirement of accessible sewage.
About the pollution at Chashma Shahi spring, Court said the practice of pollution at the place be discarded and directed the floriculture to take steps in this regard.
With regard to report of advocate Sajad Ahmad Mir court asked him to accompany the LAWDA authorities and make the joint visit to the sites pointed out in his report to find out the actual position.
The detailed report was filed last week by the advocate Sajad Ahmad Mir who in terms of previous order was appointed as assisting amicus to the PIL and has conducted a survey and visit in and around the lake so as to give the correct picture to the court. In his report Advocate Mir had revealed the worst condition of the world famous Dal lake.
Court on growing huge quantity of unwanted weed and water lily in the lake directed the LAWDA to file the progress report of controlling these components along with specific details. Court has also asked the authorities for conservation of Gilsar, Khushal and Anchaar Sars.
Court during the proceeding of the case referred the recent visit of Governor of the State N N Vohra to the lake and its peripheries in which Vohra, along with Chief Secretary B.B. Vyas who is also the chairman of MC and other concerned officers, undertook an inspection of the Dal last week. After his extensive tour, Governor observed that more than half of the water surface of the Lake is no longer visible to the visitors because of the rapidly growing Lotus plant and a variety of weeds, particularly because the ongoing de-weeding process is proceeding almost at a negligible pace.
VC LAWDA after enquiry about the de-weeding of weed and water lily in the lake submitted before the court that 250 persons are already put in place for de-weeding process apart from that de-weeding is being done through machines.
It may be mentioned here that Governor observed the targeted time frames and the ongoing pace of work requires to be very significantly speeded up in respect of establishment of 30 MLD STP at Ishbar, Nishat; purchase of additional weeding harvesters and skimmers, re-location and rehabilitation of the existing inhabitants on the Dal, re-location of 380 House Boats to Dole Demb, re-alignment of 230 House Boats along the Kohnakhan water front; and connecting 180 House Boats in Nigeeen to the sewage network. Governor noted that because of the reduction in the pace of de-weeding work in the past two years, the water surface has been rapidly encompassed by the Lotus and other growth resulting in more than half of the water surface not being visible at all to the viewer.
Presently, much more of the Lotus and other growth is visible and very little of the lake can be seen except in the area around the Nehru Park. He cautioned that if the de-weeding programme is not executed on 24×7 basis the alluvial process will lead to a significant portion of the Lake being converted into a land mass as has happened to the Wular Lake.
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