‘Crores spent on Dal, nothing achieved’
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Sept 18 : The High Court today observed that nothing has been achieved despite huge amount of money spent on restoration of Dal lake and felt it necessary to have an expert committee of well experienced persons for resolving the issues of the water body.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice D S Thakur while expressing dissatisfaction on the report filed by Dr Aabid Rashid Shah, Vice Chairman LAWDA in terms of previous directions, said the expert committee is necessary to resolve the issue of the lake.
Court said it is necessary to have an expert committee with most importantly the vision and the experience of having undertaken issues which involve wide spectrum and resolution. For that Court has suggested three persons – Sreedharan a civil engineer, Nivideta Dhar, former Home Secretary and one M C Metha a renowned environmentalist of the State.
Court said these persons have made valuable contributions on several issues as noted and have dealt with it on multistate level.
On enquiring about the particular of relocation and rehabilitation of Dal dwellers, the report of VC LAWDA revealed that even a vision document has not been finalized and on account of the author of the said document failing to participate in the deliberations.
Court had last week directed for providing information with regard to relocation of Dal dwellers and the status of retrieving of land from those who have been settled to other place.
Court said, this issue by itself speaks volumes about the manner in which work with regard to rehabilitation and restoration of lake has been impeded despite crores of rupees been spent but so far nothing has happened on ground and added that immediate measures are necessary before the situation is rendered hopeless.
Information was sought by the Court to the extent, as to whether those persons have moved to resettlement sites, who have been given resettlement allotments, and whether the State has retrieved the land from them after giving the resettlement allotments.
Court has directed VC LAWDA to place further statement with regard to the fate of the funds received from the Central Government and their disbursement and utilization from the year 2002 till date.
Apart from the Expert Committee, Court has already constituted Monitoring Committee, Scientific Advisory Committee and two members of Court Commissioners.
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