Srinagar: “Why not stop deterioration of Dal by exercising restraint”: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has asked people, especially those living in Lake’s vicinity, to question their conscience.
“It is a collective responsibility of all the people, more particularly the people living around Dal lake to co-operate with LAWDA authorities and to question their conscience why not to stop deterioration of Dal by exercising restraint,” said a division bench of Justices Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Ali Mohammad Magrey while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed in 2002.
It also asked the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) to include in its awareness programme an appeal which may have “impact on the conscience of the general public that to pollute or to cause any damage to the Dal Lake is unbearable.”
“There must be an appeal to the general public that Dal Lake which has already shrinked is saved so as to leave something for posterity to remember and enjoy.”
The direction followed submission by Vice Chairman LAWDA that the Vice Chairman that a design has been prepared for spreading awareness amongst common masses about health of Dal Lake and about measures to be taken by the people for saving the lake.
The VC LAWDA also informed the court that on November 21 matter regarding acquisition of more machines to be used for de-weeding and uprooting of Lily pads has been taken up Housing and Urban Development Department and it has now been proposed to be placed before the State Cabinet. “Latest status be filed by or before next date of hearing in the PIL,’ the court said.
The court also sought latest status report from LAWDA on procuring of more machines for uprooting lilly pads in the lake.
Regarding reducing of pore size of the log booms and mesh, erected at various entry points of inflow channels, so as to function as filters to prevent the flow of Azolla into the lake, the LAWDA stated that process has been started.
Erection of Log booms with weir mesh of reduced pore size was suggested in the 4th SAC meeting to stop the flow of Azolla into the lake from the hinterlands.
The LAWDA also informed the court that it retrieved 56 springs on the shore of Lake and the process for retrieval of others has been started. It said that sampling will be done so as to find out the effect of these springs.
To court’s question as to how sampling can be done when oozing of springs was within the waters of lake, the VC LAWDA responded that department’s scientific wing will explore the possibility in this regard.
