Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 14: High Court will visit the banks of Wullar Lake which have been converted into garbage site and directed the Wullar authorities to make labour available on spot during court visit for digging the site.
The direction has been passed by Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Puneet Gupta in a PIL seeking removal of garbage which is being dumped on the banks of lake situated in north Kashmir after the petitioner counsel submitted that the court visit on spot is necessary as the authorities in view of previous direction have illegally started filling up of the garbage site and covered the same with soil.
“The respondents shall ensure that the labour is available during the court visit in case digging is necessary to verify the correctness of the submissions”, DB directed and asked the Government counsel to coordinate with the Registrar General in this regard.
It is submitted in the plea that with impunity in violation of the rules governing the field, the garbage collected by the Municipal Council Sopore is being dumped on the banks of the lake causing grave harm to the ecology and environment of the water body.
Court has been informed that the area is environmentally sensitive and in terms of Wetland Conservation and Management Rules, 2017, no such activity can be undertaken by the respondents in the area under any circumstances which can be detrimental to the natural balance of the lake.
Court has sought response on the issue from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through its secretary. It is Central Auqaf Committee consisting of eight Auqaf Committees of the area, which filed the PIL seeking slew of directions to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, J&K Government and to Municipal Council for immediate removal of garbage dumped on the spot.
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