Punjab Govt Files Report On Issue Of Drying Up Of Waterbodies Around Chandigarh After High Court Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Impact On Wildlife

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has recently taken suo moto cognizance of the drying up of water bodies and dams around Chandigarh affecting large portions of wildlife in the city.

In an earlier hearing, while taking suo moto cognizance of the issue, Justices GS Sandhawalia and Vikas Bahl had said, "The other issue which we feel would require consideration is how the State will compensate the brave hearts of the Villages who have contributed at their own costs by expanding firstly electricity and diesel energy without any support from the State, for supporting the wildlife."

The reply was filed by the Punjab Government, today before the bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikas Suri.

In the suo moto order, the Court referring to a newspaper item, observed that, "It has been brought to our notice that on account of extreme heat in the months of May and June this year, all the water bodies and dams around Chandigarh as such had dried up. The resultant effect was that a large number of wild life was affected due to shortage of water and the drying up of the natural resources."

The said issue requires intervention by way of Public Interest Litigation, as it is the duty of this Court to protect the forest and fauna and the wildlife which abounds the city, it added.

"The check dams have been constructed to ensure that the water level does not go down and also that the water during heavy rains does not over-flow and cause flood-like situation. The authorities have the bounden duty to ensure that all the mechanisms are in place, so that adequate water reserves are there throughout the season, and to take adequate steps for the purposes of de-silting over the years in the dams and water bodies referred to above, so that the situation is not repeated," the Court said.

The division bench had also asked the State to conduct an exercise on its own level to find out as to how many persons as such from the Villages contributed at their own costs by expanding electricity and diesel energy without any support from the State, for supporting the wildlife.

Hence, the suo moto cognisance was registered as PIL.

The matter is listed for September, 12 for further consideration.

Court on its own motion v. State of Punjab