Protect lakes in city: Court……..Shibu Thomas
BMC Asked To Explore If Borivli Lake Can Be Restored
BMC Asked To Explore If Borivli Lake Can Be Restored
Mumbai: Striking a blow for the dwindling natural water resources,the Bombay high court has said that lakes and ponds in the metropolis must be protected and preserved.A division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice Amjad Sayed directed the BMC and Mhada to ensure that no development projects were permitted on the water bodies.
Lakes and rivers are natural resources.You cannot play with nature or it will be catastrophic, said the judges,pointing out that they are important sources of drinking water for the city.The court also expressed its apprehension on development projects near coast and even on the sea.A time may come when the people of the city may not even be able to see the sea, remarked the judges.
The courts outburst came during the hearing of a petition challenging the filling up of a lake in Eksar,Borivli,with the local MLAs funds and converting it into a garden.The judges asked the municipal corporation to explore if the lake could now be restored and inform the court about it.
Government pleader Dhairyasheel Nalavade said that the larger public interest should prevail in the matter.
The petition was filed by local activist Edwin Britto.According to him,for years there were two adjoining lakes in Eksar__ one spread over 12,929 sqm and the other measuring 3,381 sqm.In 2007,the revenue and forest department granted permission to MLA Gopal Shetty to beautify the two lakes.A proposal was floated to fill up the smaller of the two lakes,but this was rejected by the collector.A year later in July 2008,relying on the revenue ministers recommendation,the department allowed construction of up to 0.4 floor space index (FSI) on the lake.Three months later in October 2008,the collector did an about-turn and permitted construction on the lake.Britto in his petition alleged that the smaller lake was filled up and converted into a garden,while a walking track was created around the bigger lake reducing its area by two thirds.A statue was erected and boating was permitted in the lake.The HC expressed it concern that permission was given to build over the lake and rapped the collector over his changing stand.
* The judges were angry that part of the lake (top) in Borivli was filled up to create a garden (right)