The Supreme Court has extended its interim stay order to stop the Maharashtra government and Maha Metro from building anything at Futala Lake until March 21st.
During the hearing of a petition submitted by NGO Swacch Association, Nagpur, a panel led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud put a stop to the ongoing development projects at the lake, which spans more than 60 acres, on January 25th. The Supreme Court had sent a notice to the Maharashtra State Government and Maha Metro regarding the issue.
The court has repeatedly extended its temporary halt on construction. Following requests from Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General, and Shekhar Naphade, senior counsel, the case has been scheduled for March 21, 2024. The interim order will remain in effect until the next scheduled hearing,” the bench ordered on Thursday.
Earlier, the bench had acknowledged the statement made by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan, representing the NGO, regarding the necessity for an order of status quo on the ongoing construction to preserve the water body. Sankaranarayan had highlighted the emergence of concrete structures within the lake.
Observing that “there are anyway few wetlands remaining in the country”, the bench instructed the authorities to halt ongoing construction activities temporarily. They also inquired about the timeline for removing the “temporary” concrete structures, including the viewers’ gallery, at the lake.