The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to constitute a ‘district level lake protection committee’ in a month to take up survey of waterbodies across the state.
"There shall be a high level committee at state level and a lake protection committee at the district level. These committees have to carry out the survey of waterbodies, identify the boundary and take up fencing," said a division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay S Oka while hearing a public interest litigation by Citizen Action Forum and others.
The court also directed the government to give wide publicity about the formation of the committees and submit a compliance report.
The bench expressed displeasure that a high level committee appointed previously has had only five meetings till date. “The high court had on April 11, 2012, ordered the government to clear buildings within 30-metre radius from waterbodies. But till date, the committee has only met five times,” it observed.
The court also objected to the state's move to ink an MoU with corporate companies to manage waterbodies. “The court will decide on the validity of these agreements. Until then, no agreement shall be signed. However, this order will not come in way of donation by corporate companies to the government for rejuvenation of waterbodies,” it clarified.
According to the submission made by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP), there are about 205 lakes within its limits. “The BBMP has completed survey work of 160 lakes; the work on 45 lakes is pending,” the civic body submitted to the court.
The bench directed the BBMP to complete the work of 45 lakes in two months besides initiating a joint eviction drive with the state government to clear buildings on encroached land and buffer zones around waterbodies.
The bench posted the matter to April 20.
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