Water Logging Menace | Allahabad High Court Issues Slew Of Directions To Lucknow Development Authority

Dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea seeking a direction to the state government authorities for the removal of encroachment over various drainage systems in the city of Lucknow, the Allahabad High Court issued a slew of directions to the Lucknow Development Authority.

Though the court noted that prayers in the writ plea are omnibus in nature, the bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Rajnish Kumar disposed it of with the following directions to the Nagar Nigam:

- Activate its employees/ officials so that different drainage systems operating in the city of Lucknow are cleaned and are appropriately maintained.

- Take all such effective steps which may help to remove or minimize the difficulties being faced by the residents of Lucknow on account of water logging, which is being caused during monsoon.

- Take all possible steps to mitigate the aforesaid problem including installation of pumps where syphoning of water may be required.

- The officials of Nagar Nigam shall also ensure that pumps already installed are in a fit and functional condition.

Essentially, the plea was filed by one Sanjog Walter seeking direction to the Lucknow Nagar Nigam to ensure proper cleaning of drainage systems in Lucknow.

Another prayer sought the institution of an independent inquiry against responsible officers of Nagar Nigam, Irrigation Department, and Health Department alleging that as per the petitioner, though crores of rupees are sanctioned for ensuring that the drainage system operates effectively, the city of Lucknow still gets waterlogged every year.

At the outset, though the Court acknowledged the fact that it is the duty of the Municipal authorities of the city of Lucknow to maintain appropriate and proper drainage systems, however, it added that except for relying on certain newspaper reports, no specific averments had been made in the writ petition.

However, the Court did take note of the fact that every year on the onset of monsoon, residents of Lucknow city face the problem of water logging at various locations that make it difficult for the passengers to travel on the road and also sometimes becomes the cause of the spread of various diseases including vector-borne diseases.

The Court also perused certain photographs appended with the writ petition and took note of the poor condition of the drainage at various places in the city and on account of the fact that such drainage is not being properly cleaned and managed, various areas get water logged and sometimes such water logging even results in small islands in the city itself.

In view of this, the Court issued the abovementioned directions and disposed of the plea.

Case title - Sanjog Walter Vs. State Of U.P. Thru. Chief Secy. Up Lko And 5 Others [PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. - 374 of 2022]

Case citation: 2022 LiveLaw (AB) 315

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