JAISALMER: The Rajasthan High Court’s Justice Sangeet Raj Lodha and Justice Rameshwar Vyas have sought reply from Rajasthan government over delay in declaring Jaisalmer's Gadisar pond as lake under Rajasthan Lake Authority Act, 2015.
For protection of Gadisar and other lakes in the state, the division bench of Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur comprising Justice Sangeet Lodha and Justice Rameshwar Vyas on Friday heard arguments on a PIL for protecting the catchment area of Gadisar lake in Jaisalmer and its surrounding precincts.
Manas Ranchhor Khatri and Sunil Paliwal, advocates for the petitioner, submitted that the anicuts situated on both sides of the catchment area forming part of a huge heap of mud are essential for accumulation of water in the catchment area.
Rajasthan Lakes Development Authority, Jaipur, is empowered to take steps for protection of Gadisar lake as per Rajasthan Lakes (Protection and Development) Authority Act, 2015.
The muncipal council of Jaisalmer not being an expert body cannot unilaterally build walking track/road over the anicuts forming part of the protected area.
Gadsisar is a major tourist destination which comprises protected monument Tilon Ki Pol, buildings and structures such as chhatriyan, temples and places of religious importance resembling pristine work of artisans in medieval era.
An additional affidavit has been filed in the court by Shri Balkrishna Joshi who is working as chairman of Sarovar Mitra Samiti that project director of National Lake Conservation Plan visited Gadisar in 2010 for including it as a lake of socio-cultural and religious importance to be developed with the special assistance of IIT-Roorkee by way of preparation of detailed project report. No steps have been taken to conserve Gadisar Lake thereafter.
Upon receiving this information, the petitioner obtained information under RTI wherein it was found that project director, National Lake Conservation Plan, had transferred files and DPRs of 11 new lakes in Rajasthan to Rajasthan Lakes Development Authority, Jaipur, such as Daylab Talab Banswara, Gap Sagar Dungarpur, Rajsamand lake Rajsamand, Kailana Jodhpur Gadisar Jaisalmer, Jait Sagar Bundi, Gundolav Talab, Kishangarh, Sambhar Wetland, Udai Sagar and Goverdhan Sagar Udaipur to be developed by Government of India under the Ministry of Environment and Forest. After transfer of files, no substantial work has been done by the state government to conserve the historic Gadisar lake.
Additional documents have been taken in record and January 15, 2021 has been fixed as the next date for hearing.
After the hearing, the state government sought time to enumerate the steps taken after the enactment of the Act in 2015 for declaring water sources as lakes throughout Rajasthan.
It is known that Gadisar pond is an ancient drinking water source in Jaisalmer and is a famous tourist place.
The court asked about the number of water sources spread in 3-10 hectares which have been declared as lakes and what steps have been taken to conserve them.