Karnataka: HC issues show-cause notice to BDA chief

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to the BDA commissioner over delays in informing the NGT-appointed committee about the construction of huge bunds at the Bellandur and Varthur lakes.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice M Nagaprasanna ordered the issuance of the notice to the BDA commissioner.

The PIL was filed by Geetha Misra on the large bunds constructed right inside the two lakes. The court, in its June 12, 2020 order, had directed the commissioner to immediately communicate to the committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

“Firstly, we fail to understand how the communication that had to be done immediately took so long. On June 24, again the time of one week was granted to BDA commissioner, which expired on July 1. Now, he claims that the letter has been sent to KSPCB on July 8, 2020.

“Prima facie, we are of the view that this is a gross breach of the direction of the order dated June 12, 2020. We, therefore, direct to issue a show-cause notice to the BDA commissioner as to why action under Contempt of Court Act should not be initiated against him,” the bench said.

KSPCB to file report

Regarding the petitioner’s contention about the discharge of wastewater into the lakes by the nearby apartments and industries, the bench had directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to submit the report on the action taken. The petition claimed that 34 entities near the two lakes were discharging wastewater.

On Thursday, the state submitted that KSPCB held meetings on June 19 and 20 with apartment owners. However, in view of Covid-19, all apartment owners could not attend the meeting. The state submitted proposing to take necessary coercive action in this regard.