State High Court is handling the Dal Lake preservation and conservation issue with due earnestness. Matters like encroachment, pollution and weed growing etc. have been very much under discussion at various levels in the civil society for a long time. There was a time when Dal Lake enjoyed the pride of place status in tourist destination in the Valley for its transparent waters and scenic beauty. Unfortunately, owing to non-seriousness of those who were supposed to preserve and conserve it in its pristine purity, failed in their duty and allowed the Dal Lake deteriorate and become polluted and impure.
We will not drag the Lakes and Water Bodies Development Authority into discussion here because that is a different matter. We are concerned with the orders of the court in regard to monitoring and preserving the cleanliness and maintenance of Dal Lake. There is a monitoring committee with the terms of reference of preserving and conserving the lake. The Committee is required to monitor the progress of work and report accordingly. The court order has come saying that the nominated members of the monitoring committee will personally take part in the meetings of the Committee which is headed by the Chief Secretary.
The court order has come in the course of disposal of a PIL case in which the applicant had sought assurance that no encroachment will be allowed. The Chief Secretary assured the court that a mechanism will be put in place to ensure that no encroachment in Dal will take place. The State High Court has desired the Government of India to extend help to the State Government in preserving and conserving the world famous Dal Lake.
We welcome the order of the court. The Monitoring Committee has the responsibility to ensure that there will not be any encroachment or polluting of the lake. We are hopeful that the court order will be honoured and the nominated members will not fail in their duty in supporting the Government to maintain, preserve and conserve the lake against all odds in whatever shape these are.
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