Lonar lake in ‘pathetic’ condition: HC raps state for callous approach to preserving geo-heritage site

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court (HC) on Monday came down heavily on state bodies for failing to uphold their responsibilities in preserving the 113-hectare

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court (HC) on Monday came down heavily on state bodies for failing to uphold their responsibilities in preserving the 113-hectare Lonar crater lake in Buldhana district.

HT Image

The lake, declared a notified national geo-heritage monument in 1979, had turned reddish-pink last month from June 9, due to high salinity, acidity (pH), and an algal bloom, the forest department had said. The exact reasons are yet to be confirmed by research bodies that collected water samples.

The district collector and forest department both said the natural lake colour was restored last week following heavy rain.

The HC bench noted that the Geological Survey of India (GSI) had conducted a survey of the pink water and will submit a report within a week, while reports from scientific bodies such as the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Agarkar Research Institute, Pune, to be submitted before the next date of hearing on July 22.

On Monday, the HC bench of justices Sunil Shukre and Anil Kilor, while hearing a 2009 petition by lawyer Kirti Atul Nipankar and others against various state bodies through senior counsel Anand Parchure, rapped the Buldhana district administration, Lonar Municipal Council, and public works department (PWD) for their indifference to previous HC orders, callous approach in conserving the lake. It cautioned that further disobedience of court orders could lead to contempt proceedings against erring authorities.

Based on submissions by Parchure, the bench highlighted two issues of immediate concern – open defecation by Lonar citizens at the lake, including the area where the sewage treatment plant (STP) is located, and discharge of sewage water from Lonar city, freely entering the lake.

During the last hearing on June 15, HC had taken cognisance of the change in the lake’s colour, open defecation, and improper sewage treatment. HC had directed four senior lawyers to visit the crater and submit a status report. The inspection was undertaken on June 17.

“The inspection report has now been placed on record. We find that the situation obtaining at and around Lonar lake is really pathetic,” the bench said in its 12-page order published on Tuesday. “The pathetic situation has arisen mainly because of the indifference, rather callous indifference of many of the authorities responsible in their own way for conservation and preservation of Lonar crater lake.”

Meanwhile, the bench took serious cognisance of the failures of implementing HC directions by the Buldhana collector, and accountability of the officer for not attending hearings, even through video conferencing, for the latest hearing, and in person prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are of the prima-facie view that the Buldhana collector… has failed in discharging fundamental duties in the recent past, thereby owing an explanation to this court for dislodgement of the prima facie impression,” the bench said.

Suman Chandra, district collector and magistrate, Buldhana, said, “There has been no intentional negligence. Over the past three months, there was a delay due to Covid-19. Special efforts will be made to ensure that all directions of the HC are complied with at the earliest. Meanwhile, the lake colour has normalised after rain that led to dilution. The colour had turned pink due to the increased salinity.”

The bench, however, took cognisance of the efforts by the forest department that were taking matters seriously and had complied with previous directions of the court. The additional chief secretary, revenue and forests, was directed to fill up vacant posts of the range forest officer and assistant conservator of forest before the next date of hearing.

“The directions of the HC will be complied with and the additional posts would help us achieve the targets set by the bench much faster,” said a senior forest official.

The bench directed the civic body to furnish copies of increasing STP capacity (from 500 kilo litres per day (KLD) to 1,000 KLD) by July 22 and ensure untreated sewage be stopped from entering the lake within three days from the order date. As per orders issued during its previous hearing, samples of ejecta debris were submitted before the bench, which would be inspected by July 22. The bench intends to understand the possible impact of the ejecta blanket (debris surrounding the impact area of a crater made of unique material) during shifting of the Lonar- Kinhi Road and directed PWD to carry out an environmental impact assessment on June 15.