‘Aur kitna sukhaoge Sukhna ko’, CJI Kant expresses concern over Chandigarh’s drying lake

The top court had earlier wondered why all the matters concerning forests and lakes are coming to the apex court, bypassing the high courts, that too in the form of interim applications in a pending PIL of 1995

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday expressed concern over the drying up of Chandigarh’s iconic Sukhna Lake, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant blaming the alleged collusion between builder mafias, bureaucrats and political entities in Punjab for its destruction.

Referring to an application related to the Sukhna lake case, the CJI had said that it seemed a friendly match was going on at the behest of some private developers and others. (HT File)

“Aur kitna sukhaoge Sukhna lake ko (How much more will you allow Sukhna lake to dry up),” the Chief Justice said during the hearing of interim applications filed, before the bench of the CJI and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Panchol, in the pending 1995 PIL titled ‘In Re: TN Godavarman Thirumulpad’.

“There are illegal constructions in collusion and connivance with bureaucrats, backed by political entities in Punjab, resulting in complete destruction of the lake. All builder mafias are operating there,” CJI Kant observed orally as a lawyer mentioned a plea related to the lake.

The top court had earlier wondered why all the matters concerning forests and lakes are coming to the apex court, bypassing the high courts, that too in the form of interim applications in a pending PIL of 1995.

Referring to an application related to the Sukhna lake case, the CJI had said that it seemed a friendly match was going on at the behest of some private developers and others.

The bench had asked additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, and senior lawyer K Parmeswar, who has been assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the forest matter, to apprise it of local issues which can be dealt by the high courts themselves.

Litigation around Sukhna lake primarily involves the high court’s efforts to protect its catchment area from encroachment, ordering demolition of structures in the protected zone in 2020.