A day after the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake as a living entity, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has asked Advocate General Atul Nanda to examine, in detail, the High Court orders with respect to constructions in the area around the lake.
The Chief Minister on Tuesday told journalists that his government had received a copy of the judgment and the A-G would examine the same and make his recommendations.
“The State government would take whatever decisions, legislative or judicial, needed to resolve the issue. We stand by the people and will do everything to protect their interests,” he said in response to a question.
Declaring Sukhna Lake as a living entity, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has fined Punjab and Haryana ₹100 crore each for causing damage to Sukhna’s catchment area.
Demolitions ordered
The Bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Haridner Singh Sidhu also ordered the demolition of all commercial, residential and or other structures in Sukhna’s catchment area.
The court orders have come in a suo motu petition of 2009 initiated over problems of silt in the lake which has resulted in its drying up.
‘Permanent damage’
In its order on March 2, the court observed that “... the acts of the States of Punjab, Haryana have caused permanent damage to the catchment area of Sukhna Lake. It was expected from the State agencies to foresee that the permanent structures in a catchment area would impede the flow of water in Sukhna Lake.
“The States should have taken precautionary measures to save the catchment of Sukhna Lake. It is the duty of the States of Punjab and Haryana to restore the catchment area. The State government has also failed to take precautionary measures to save the catchment area. The damage caused to the catchment area is enormous. The State is bound to pay exemplary penal damages under the doctrine of ‘Polluter Pays’,” read the order.
It added: “The officers-officials of the States of Punjab and Haryana instead of protecting-conserving-saving the catchment area have permitted raising of permanent structures in this area. Since immense damage has been caused to the catchment area of the Sukhna Lake at least ₹200 crores would be required to restore the catchment area.”