Muck dumping into Govind Sagar Lake: HC directs penal action against violators

Shimla: Taking a serious view of the violations with regard to illicit dumping of muck into Govind Sagar Lake in Bilaspur district, the Himachal Pradesh high court has directed initiation of penal action against the violators.
In an order issued on Friday, the division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya directed the authorities concerned to take penal action against those who had illegally dumped muck into Govind Sagar Lake or its tributaries/rivulets/khuds or on other forest or public lands.
The bench also directed the authorities concerned to take action to its logical conclusion as expeditiously as possible, and in any case, not later than six months.
While directing to initiate all possible steps to clear the muck from the shores of Govind Sagar Lake, its tributaries, forest and all public lands, the division bench asked the Himachal chief secretary to personally monitor the implementation of the orders and file an affidavit of compliance on the next date of hearing on July 1.
The court observed that blatant violations of environmental laws had been noticed by the state authorities but strangely, no penal action had been initiated against the violators. This conduct of the authorities clearly amounts to failure on their part to discharge constitutional and legal obligations, the bench remarked.
It said the Article 21 of the Constitution also manifests the right to live in a clean environment. Article 48-A obligates the states to endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forest and water life of the country, the bench added.
The court also observed that from various responses received during the proceedings from the official respondents, except for some paper work in the form of holding meetings and issuance of directions, etc., nothing substantial appeared to have been done.
The HC further stated that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in its affidavit had stated that out of total 6,41,256 cubic metre muck, the concessionaire had utilised 4,08,010 cubic metre in the project and 2,34,080 cubic metre muck had been dumped in private lands. However, the claim of the NHAI has been contradicted by its own admissions as also by a plethora of other material, it added.