Submit report on impact of construction on Banganga tank: Bombay HC
After the Bombay high court (HC) had permitted two developers to continue the piling and construction activity around the Banganga tank last week, the court on Tuesday directed the Central groundwater board to be made party to the petition filed by the trust opposing the piling and construction work
After the Bombay high court (HC) had permitted two developers to continue the piling and construction activity around the Banganga tank last week, the court on Tuesday directed the Central groundwater board to be made party to the petition filed by the trust opposing the piling and construction work. The court has issued directions to study the impact of the construction activity on the spring water, which flows into the tank, to ensure that the supply does not dry up, and the grade I heritage structure should not become dead.
A division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni, while hearing the petition filed by the Temple Trust of Walkeshwar temple and Banganga tank, was informed that as per the directions of the bench last week a survey had been done of the water in the tank while construction activity was on and a sample of the water was also brought before the court.
After hearing the apprehension of the trust, through the petition that the state-protected grade I heritage structure was under threat due to the piling and construction activity undertaken close to the temple and tank premise. The petition had alleged that there was water contamination which caused an imminent threat to the water springs.
The court had stayed the construction and asked the director of archaeology and museums to conduct a survey to verify the allegations. After the report said that the allegations were incorrect, piling and construction work was allowed to restart. Another survey was ordered, while the work was in progress.
However, on Tuesday, after the report was submitted, the petitioner still had grievances that the directorate of archaeology and museums and the Geological Survey of India, were not the proper authorities to survey and comment on the potential damage to the lake due to the piling and construction work.
The bench took cognizance and observed, “These are natural springs by virtue of which Banganga lake survives. It’s acknowledged that some activity is affecting natural springs. Now the direction of the spring is to be studied. Also, will Banganga become a dead monument if complete water supply is gone? It is a serious issue. It should be studied by an authority which deals with spring water/deep water study,” said justice Kulkarni.
He added that the underground report submitted by the state government, based on the finding of geologists, was insufficient. Thereafter the chief justice asked the petitioner to add the Central Groundwater Board as a party to the petition and posted the hearing to Wednesday.