Thursday, January 16, 2025
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HC rebukes govt for ignoring directives

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SHILLONG, Feb 8: The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday admonished the state government for repeatedly failing to adhere to its directives.
In a stern directive, the division bench of the High Court, while hearing a case pertaining to the cleanliness of the Umiam Lake/Reservoir and the Wards Lake in the city and construction activities around the water bodies, said that this is yet another matter where the state has failed to adhere to the directions issued by the Court December 14, 2021, and seems to have taken it for granted that “additional time will be afforded to the state for the mere asking to file a report or comply with the directions earlier issued”.
The Court also told the state to be extremely careful in future and ensure timely adherence to the directions issued.
“Let a copy of this order be forwarded to the Chief Secretary of the State to ensure that the seemingly lackadaisical attitude of the State in matters before this Court does not continue,” the High Court said.
The case will be heard again on February 15.
It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya government had filed a status report last year after conducting inspection of the Umiam Lake/Reservoir and Wards Lake in accordance with a Court order.
Taking into account the fact that a substantial amount of public money was being spent on a regular basis, the High Court had asked the state to consider the contents of the report as well as the observations, call a meeting of all concerned departments as well as Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, and suggest measures for efficacious resolution to the issues plaguing both Umiam Lake/Reservoir and Wards Lake by filing a comprehensive report.
The state government sought for and obtained additional time after which it filed a report on the measures taken. The report did not allude to any construction activity coming up by the lakes.
The Court directed the state to report all construction activities, at least within 100 meters of the water anywhere near Umiam Lake, and indicate the nature of such construction and as to whether any environmental impact assessment has been conducted or due permission has been granted by the appropriate authorities for the construction activities to be undertaken or the project to be commenced.
Carrying of the construction material must also be regulated to ensure that the delicate ecology is not unduly disturbed, the Court had observed, while asking the state government to submit its report by February 2.

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