HC orders Raj govt to form Lake Development Authority by Mar 1

The Rajasthan High court today ordered the state government to constitute Rajasthan Lakes Development Authority by March 1 for monitoring and making the lakes pollution-free.
The court gave this direction while hearing a PILpertaining tothe deteriorating conditions of the lakes in Udaipur city.
Meanwhile, the court has asked the government to appoint a transitory authority by January 15 and also sought a detailed compliance report of its directions given during the hearing on February 15, 2015.
A division bench comprising justice Govind Mathur and justice Nirmal Jeet Kaur criticized the Udaipur Municiapl Corporation and the district administration for turning a blind eye to the sorry state of lakes.

Amicus Curaie Sanjeet Purohit apprised the court during the hearing that the state government had passed the Rajasthan Lakes (Protection & Development) Authority Act in 2015 provisioning therein to constitute the development authority.
"An official had to be appointed as the transitory authority till the constitution of the development authority in pursuance of this Act but no such step has been taken by the government till today," Purohit argued.

When the court inquired from Additional Advocate General P S Bhati, he admitted that no such official as transitory authority has so far been appointed.
Taking a serious note of this negligence, the bench has ordered the government to set up the Rajasthan Lake Development Authority by March 1 and authorise an official for transitory provisions till than by February 15.

Besides, the court has directed the district collector to take immediate steps for protection, conservation and development of all lakes in Udaipur and draw a plan to ensure that sewerage water does not make its way into the lakes due to leakage.