Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Feb 28: A Division Bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked 14 Deputy Commissioners to show-cause why proceedings under contempt of Court Act be not initiated against them on account of the non-compliance of its directions on use of polythene and polythene carry bags in the state.
The Deputy Commissioners include that of districts Baramulla, Kupwara, Shopian, Anantnag, Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora, Jammu, Leh, Kargil, Samba and Rajouri.
"We also accept the suggestion by the amicus curie, Advocate Z A Shah, requiring all the Deputy Commissioners to file undertaking that each one of them would be able to achieve the target of polythene free district by specifying deadline," said the division bench comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi, directing that the need shall be done by next date of hearing on April 28.
The court also directed the authorities to file compliance regarding number of directions passed for restoration of Dal Lake by it right from July 2002.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation, seeking to safeguard the Dal Lake against pollution.
"A detailed report by everyone of them shall be filed so that this Public Interest Litigation may be taken to its logical end," the court said and posted the PIL--Syed Tahir Iqbal Geelani Vs State.
Meanwhile, the court also granted one last opportunity to comply with the direction issued on 22 October 2013 regarding the details concerning measurement on the outer side and inner side of the lake shall be placed before this Court before the next date of failing which Yaseen shall remain present in person.
Observing that divine gifts of water bodies are soul of Jammu and Kashmir, in November last year, the division bench of the Court had asked government to explore possibility of constituting technical Board/Committee for monitoring of the Sewerage Treatment Plants for preservation of Dal Lake and other such bodies.
Earlier, Secretary to Government Housing and Urban Development Department informed the court issue regarding jurisdictional conflict of Brai Nambal Lagoon in Srinagar have been resolved.
According to the status report filed by the Secretary on 27 November 2013, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has been issued clear instruction to remove encroachment and illegal workshop in the area of Brari Nambal and Lagoon.
LAWDA, report said, has been instructed to fence the Lagoon on the southern side from Munawar Abad Chowk onwards. The Chief Engineer UEED, the status report said, has been directed to upgrade UEED's STP at Brari Nambal and block all the sewer inflow in the lagoon connecting the main sewer line to STP for treatment. "Even LAWDA has been asked to dredge the lagoon after UEEDD dredges the sewer line and diverts the same for treatment," the report added. |
