The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to examine and decide on issues related to pollution and conservation of Gorewada Lake within six weeks, treating a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the matter as a formal representation.
The order was passed on Tuesday by a division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode while hearing a PIL filed by social activist Shailesh Pande. The petition sought urgent intervention from authorities, particularly the NMC, to undertake remedial measures for the protection and preservation of Gorewada Lake.
The petitioner alleged that untreated sewage was being discharged into the lake, leading to severe environmental degradation and posing a threat to aquatic life as well as public health. The plea called for immediate steps to install adequate treatment systems and safety measures to prevent further pollution of the water body.
During the hearing, advocate Radha Sharma appeared for the petitioner, while Additional Government Pleader D.P. Thakre represented the State government.
Instead of issuing specific directions on the merits of the allegations, the court disposed of the PIL by directing the NMC to consider the petition as a representation and take an appropriate decision in accordance with law. The civic body has been asked to independently assess the grievances raised and pass a reasoned order within six weeks from the date it receives a copy of the court’s order.
The bench further directed that the decision taken by the NMC be communicated to the petitioner within two weeks thereafter. With these directions, the High Court disposed of the Public Interest Litigation while expecting the municipal authorities to address the concerns surrounding the protection of Gorewada Lake in a time-bound manner.
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