Srinagar: The J&K High Court Monday directed the Home Secretary of Jammu & Kashmir to forthwith arrange deputy superintendent rank police officers for Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) for execution of its enforcement operations.
While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the worsening situation of Dal Lake the court was informed by the Vice-Chairman LAWDA that two DySP rank officers are supposed to assist his organization.
“A DySP who had joined the Authority, has been taken away and presently there is no police official to assist its enforcement operations,” the LAWDA VC said.
A division bench of the court directed the Home Secretary J&K to “forthwith look into this matter and ensure that the needful is done in this regard”.
The court also passed certain directives on some observations made by a Committee of Experts (CoEs) on the administrative capacity strength of the LAWDA administration.
Tufail Matoo, the VC LAWDA informed the court constituted CoE that instead of submitting the proposal on strengthening of the organization, a re-organisation plan formulated by him has been sent to the Housing and Urban Development Department.
He prayed that the plan be forwarded to the CoE for its consideration and required recommendations.
He also told the court that relocation and rehabilitation of encroachers of the lake (about 9000 families) is being worked out.
The court expressed its satisfaction over the installation of 150 boundary pillars on Dal Lake based on the Survey of India Map.
The court directed the LAWDA to place before it an action taken report on the observations and recommendations by CoE in its meeting held on 20th June this year.
The CoE had urged the authorities to put an end to throwing of sewage and polluted water into the lake especially by the pollution from house-boats. It had also urged boundary demarcation of the lake, protection of its catchment areas, relocation and rehabilitation of land and water title-holders in the Lake.
The CoE urgently called for removal of floating gardens from the lake, de-weeding and disposal of weeds, management of solid waste, dredging and its videography.
The court also directed the Secretary, Tourism Department to submit an action taken report before the CoE on tourism related issues and management of houseboats in the lake within two weeks from today.
