Nagpur: In a setback to Maharashtra government, Justice Sunil Shukre and Justice Anil Kilor at the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court disapproved two committees set up to monitor world-famous Lonar crater.
The two committees were set up by the state tourism and cultural affairs ministry after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray visited Lonar on February 5. An eight-member committee to monitor development action plan was set up under state’s chief secretary, while another 10-member committee was headed by Amravati divisional commissioner.
However, both the committees were devoid of Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) officials, who are directly involved in the monitoring of the crater, which is now part of the Lonar wildlife sanctuary. Though PCCF has been included in the 10-member committee, there is no presence of any expert geologist or Melghat field director in the panel.
During the hearing of a PIL filed by Kirti Nipankar and others on Lonar, the high court had on February 25 found that the GRs constituting the aforesaid committees have been hurriedly issued. One committee was set up on February 8 and another on February 24.
“The committees had been constituted just in about 16 days. The speed with which this has been done could have been appreciated if the court was also taken into confidence. That apart, considering the importance of the role of forest department in preservation, conservation, and development of Lonar lake, we are of the view that field director having charge of Lonar sanctuary and one superior officer from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) would have to be made member-secretary and member of the committees that would now be newly-constituted or reconstituted,” said the HC.
“The committees constituted in their present form, tenor and character are unacceptable and something comprehensive and concrete is required to be done as suggested above, for which purpose we grant liberty to the state government to submit to this court a fresh proposal. If any proposal is to be submitted before this court, it shall take into account specific directions issued by this court from time to time over all the years,” said the HC.
The GRs indicate that even today the issue about preservation, conservation and development of Lonar crater is being treated as an issue primarily of tourism, the court observed.
“We are constrained to say that such an approach is not conducive to preservation and conservation of this site, which has been declared as ecologically fragile site under Ramsar Convention of 1971. The first and foremost need is to protect, preserve and conserve and then would come development and tourism as complementary and boost to the first need,” said the judges.
It is for these reasons that a new approach consistent with and suitable to the need of the basic and essential issue involved here is adopted by the state government and “we find it to be lacking in the GRs. The GRs primarily deal with the issue of tourism and tourism as we understand these days is mostly about consumerism and materialism. This would lead to exploitation of land and natural resources. Such tourism has to be avoided and the kind of tourism to be promoted should be least invasive, environment-friendly and yet most refreshing, and also uniquely recreational,” said the court.
The next hearing is slated for March 15.