Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Nov 5: In a Public Interest Litgation regarding pollution of the river water which, in turn, has affected the quality of drinking water being supplied to a large number of denizens of the two Districts of Budgam and Srinagar, Division Bench comprising Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Rashid Ali Dar directed Registry shall issue notice to the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Srinagar; Chief Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department, Srinagar; Chief Engineer, Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED), Srinagar; Chief Engineer, Roads and Buildings Department, Srinagar; Deputy Commissioner, Budgam; Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Chadoora; Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Charar-i-Sharief; Director, Rural Sanitation Department, Srinagar; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Srinagar; Chief of the Forest Protection Force, Budgam; Chief Executive Officer, Economic Reconstruction Agency, Rambagh, Srinagar; Director Fisheries Department, Srinagar; Superintendent, Bone & Joint Hospital, Barzulla, and Chief Executive Officer, Yousmarg Development Authority. These Departments / authorities shall file their respective responses to the matters identified hereinabove and pertaining to their respective sphere of working.
DB further observed that it hardly needs a mention here that, apart from filing their written statement as to the allegations / facts / figures /factors stated in the news report, the concerned authorities shall also state what steps were taken by them in response to redress the problems identified, and what steps according to their opinion would need to be taken by them to solve the problems in question, giving all necessary details; all the concerned authorities shall clearly state how many drainage systems have been built by them which end up untreated in the water body and how many households sewage / waste pipes drop into the river and how many toilets have been constructed on the river or its tributary rivulets. In nutshell, the respective departments / agencies shall be responsible for collecting all the relevant data in this behalf.
DB observed that the Court is of the opinion to collect the relevant data, information and opinions from the concerned departments / agencies, and, accordingly, makes above said directions. -JNF |
