The Meghalaya High Court today decided to initiate contempt proceedings against certain officials of the State government for allowing a café to be opened near the Umiam Lake despite strict orders of the court prohibiting any kind of construction within 50 metres of the high-water mark of the lake.
The decision to initiate contempt proceedings against the government was made known by the division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice B Bhattacharjee during hearing of a suo motu PIL on the condition of Umiam Lake and other water bodies of the State.
“The State is put on notice that appropriate steps in contempt will be initiated against its recalcitrant officials for the blatant breach of the subsisting injunction and in allowing a cafe to be opened by the Umiam and some of the metal stalls to be made operational despite the subsisting injunction,” the High Court said in its order.
The High Court also directed State Chief Secretary Donald P. Wahlang to mention the names and particulars of the errant government officials.
The court also listed the matter for hearing on October 3.
In its previous orders, the High Court had issued notice to the State government on the measures to protect and conserve Umiam Lake and all the water bodies in the State.
The court had also directed the State government and local authorities not to allow any constructions within 50 meters of the high-water mark of Umiam Lake without the permission of the court.
The State government had assured the High Court that no construction will be allowed to commence or continue near any of the water bodies, particularly the Umiam Lake.
Thereafter, the State government had constituted a 15- member expert committee to frame guidelines on protection of water bodies in the State and formulating norms for future construction in and around Umiam Lake.
However, the High Court in its observation of the Meghalaya Water bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Guidelines, 2023, said that the guidelines did not deal with the “most serious aspect of buildings and construction mushrooming around water bodies”.
