E-Paper
HC asks State to frame policy
THE ALLAHABAD High Court has directed the State Government to take a policy decision on protection of ponds, Pokhras and lakes. The HC was hearing a petition related to the protection of ponds, Pokhras, lakes and other water channels. Passing this order, Justice SN Srivastava directed the government to put up the matter on December 11.
THE ALLAHABAD High Court has directed the State Government to take a policy decision on protection of ponds, Pokhras and lakes.
The HC was hearing a petition related to the protection of ponds, Pokhras, lakes and other water channels. Passing this order, Justice SN Srivastava directed the government to put up the matter on December 11.
The court directed the State counsel to initiate a dialogue with the authorities for setting up an expert committee on the issue.
The court elaborated that the committee should evolve ways and means for upkeep of the ponds and other water channels. “The committee is required to be manned by the experts for which State counsel may seek the opinion of the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh and also from the department concerned,” the court said.
As per the court direction, the records related to 49 districts were filed in the office of the court regarding the status of ponds, Pokhras, lakes and other water channels. The State counsel sought two weeks time for submission of records of the remaining districts. The court passed these directives on a petition filed by Iqbal Ahmad of Deoria.
Commenting on the records of various districts, the court said those records required thorough scrutiny for preparation of composite detailed chart so as to facilitate further action by the court in the matter.
For this purpose, according to the court, a committee comprising at least three members should be set up. The committee would consist of secretary (Revenue) as the first representative.
The second representative should be nominated by chairman/secretary Board of Revenue UP and any official which may include SDO/Tahsildar from Allahabad to be nominated by DM, Allahabad, for the said purpose.
The committee will go through all the records and enlist all such ponds, Pokhras and lakes and other water channels, vacant as well as encroached, in a composite chart for being produced before the court. It was brought to the notice of the court that though such water channels, were located from revenue record, the department concerned did not know how to maintain those water resources.
