Lakes and Waterways Authority (LAWDA) has been very much in the news for several years in the past owing to many allegations of scams in cleaning the Dal Lake in Srinagar. This prestigious project has received funding from international agency and was supposed to give new life to the beautiful lake whose waters are polluted by weed and undergrowth plus the filth and garbage thrown into it by the houseboat dwellers. The task of vacating encroachments made by selfish people is very complicated.
The case against some indicted functionaries of LAWDA is before the court of law. In the course of proceedings, the court has been asking for reports and documents which the concerned authorities duly submit. As part of the proceedings the Vice Chairman of LAWDA had to depose before the High Court. He was supposed to present the status report on the case. In his deposition, the Vice Chancellor has made some startling revelations.The sum and substance of his statement is that the large number of people inhabiting the areas between Saida Kadal and Ashai Bagh in Srinagar physically obstruct the demolition of unauthorized structures raised by the people after encroaching on the Dal Lake. He has said that LAWDA has insufficient manpower to undertake the problematic matter of raising unauthorized structures because the large numbers of people come out and manhandle the LAWDA functionaries. He has also said that LWDA brought the matter to the notice of the Divisional Commissioner as well as the District Commissioner of Srinagar but no concrete support was forthcoming. Two dates fixed for demolition work had to be postponed owing to crowds gathered in large numbers and bent upon creating a situation which the LAWDA would not be capable of handling.
Obviously, this is a law and order situation. The LAWDA and the Government agency have confirmed that the structures raised there on the bank of the Dal are illegal. If LAWDA brought to the notice of the authorities that it was unable to undertake demolition, the authorities have to step in and take necessary measures according to the law. The police have to be deployed in large force to counter the crowds determined to indulge in violent reaction. The State does not allow lawlessness to prevail and it has to curb it at any rate. But what we perceive is that there are some vested interests who would not want the LAWDA to proceed with it duty. The Government must step in and the power of the State must supervene. For safeguarding the interests of a handful of land mafia people, law and order cannot be thrown to winds. Law will take its course.
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