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| Rs 400 cr spent on Dal, nothing happened on ground: HC | | Court orders constitution of 3 expert committees | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Sept 27: Despite over Rs 400 crore has been pumped by government of India in last 16 years to save the Dal lake, "nothing appears to have happened on ground," the J&K High Court observed Thursday, even as it ordered constitution of three expert committees to deal with issues of the water body before the "critical situation" is rendered hopeless.
"The orders passed in this PIL runs into volumes. Over Rs 400 cr has been pumped into the issues relating to the Dal lake by the government of India. The authorities of the state claim to have spent Rs.359.93 crores from 2002-03 to 2018/19 ending 08/2018 with nothing to show for it as so far nothing appears to have happened on ground," a division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Dhiraj Singh Thakur said. "We are of the view that given position on the ground, deserves to be investigated. However, saving the Dal Lake being more critical, we shall defer this issue as at present," the court said, stressing need for taking immediate measures before the critical situation is rendered hopeless.
The court said that the record of the case manifest that local experts are unable to contain the malaise that besets the lake. "It is, therefore, necessary to have an expert committee with, most importantly the vision and the experience of having successfully undertaken projects and issues which involve wide spectrum, multi-dimensional, multi authority evaluations and resolutions," the court said, adding, "The three experts who come to our mind so far as these issues are concerned, who have dealt with it on national as well as multistate levels and made valuable contributions, which posterity shall cherish and celebrate."
They include Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, (retired), former Chairperson Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, and member, Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board). (ii) Dr Nivedita P. Haran, IAS (retired), former Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, government of Kerala. (iii) M. C. Mehta, renowned environmentalist, who hails from the Jammu and Kashmir State.
"We already have on record a Vigilance Committee appointed pursuant to the order dated August 18, 2015 of this court and monitoring committee appointed by the state government by its order dated April 27, 2016. Clearly given the limitations which are manifested from the outcome of the efforts of the learned members of these committees, it is necessary to have a committee of external affairs which shall be known as "Committee of Experts," the court observed. The court asked the Committee of Experts to ascertain: (a) the status of the Dal Lake; (b) all measures required to be undertaken for its restoration, maintenance and preservation as well as all ancillary issues including securing the banks of the Dal Lake; (c) re-settlement, relocation and rehabilitation of persons residing or carrying on business on its banks or in the Dal Lake (say in Houseboats etc.,) and their rehabilitation. (d)Drawing of strict time lines from issuance of NITs to completion of work and monitoring the execution. "Digital mapping of the Lake and land concerned with the project, if already undertaken at different times, shall be placed before the Committee of Experts. (f) Digital monitoring as would be directed by Committee of Expert would be undertaken." The court also directed that the Committee shall undertake a comprehensive review of the steps taken so far by the Monitoring Committee as well as the Vigilance Committee with regard to all matters relating to the Dal Lake and assess their efficacy, adequacy and efficiency.
"This Committee shall stand empowered to appoint any National or International Expert(s) they deem necessary to facilitate its task. The renumeration/ retainership and expenses payable to such experts shall be determined by the members of the Committee after discussion with the Chief Secretary who shall ensure that the needful towards payment is undertaken."
The Committee, the court said, shall examine any other issue opined by the experts appointed by it or which is revealed during the examination of the matter by the Committee essentially for improvement of the conditions in the Dal Lake and all person in or surrounding the Dal Lake or dependent upon the Dal Lake in any manner. "All cooperation shall be given by all persons who have been associated in any capacity with any matter relating to the Dal Lake; It shall be open for the Expert Committee to have meetings with the Vigilance Commissioners as well as the Monitoring Committee aforesaid in order to evaluate the work which has been undertaken so far." |
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