The High Court has directed the government to re-submit the proposal for procurement of machinery for de-weeding Dal lake here to the state cabinet.
“Memorandum of submission approved by the competent authority and already placed before the cabinet shall be re-submitted by the competent authority so that appropriate decision in-keeping with the requirements is taken,” a bench of Justice Muhammad Yaqoob Mir and Ali Muhammad Magrey said.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation on conservation of Dal lake, the court held that keeping in view the timeline for procurement and utilization of equipments for de-weeding, non-acceptance of the memorandum submitted to the Cabinet by the competent authority is not in the interests of preservation of the Dal.
The direction came after vice-chairman, LAWDA, who was present informed the court that the cabinet considered the issue in its meeting of April 24 and took a decision that LAWDA will make power point presentation about progress regarding preservation of Dal. The court said “it is totally unacceptable”.
“The power point presentation or any other action cannot be found fault with, but keeping in view the timeline for procurement and utilization of equipments for de-weeding, non-acceptance of the memorandum submitted to the Cabinet by the competent authority is not in the interests of preservation of the Dal,” court said.
The court held that it is on the scientific basis that a timeline was fixed for de-weeding in the month of April so that the weeding will not crop up beyond proportions.
It said the date for next Cabinet meeting has not been fixed and it is unclear as and when the decision is expected to be taken on the memorandum of submission regarding procurement of equipments for de-weeding which procurement is unavoidable for the proper health of the Dal. “
“It is quite strange that the matter has been deferred when the Chief Secretary, who is the Chairman of the Monitoring Committee, is well conversant with the requirement of procurement of equipments”.
Meanwhile, in its compliance State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) stated that the Board is continually monitoring the water quality of Dal Lake and the STPs functional on its peripheries.
The Board said samples from seven more springs located on the periphery of the lake were collected on regular basis.
The court sought fresh status report in this regard by the next date of hearing.
Take up procurement of machinery for deweeding in Cabinet: HC to Govt
