The Meghalaya High Court has questioned the coming up of various new buildings and structures around the Umiam Lake and has asked the State government to file a detailed reply on the matter within three weeks.
“Though it appears that steps have been taken to clean the Umiam Lake waters and remove the floating garbage along the edge of the water, several new construction projects have been noticed around the lake,” said the division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh today.
The High Court said a new café has come up on the eastern side, close to a car showroom and a construction has also come up on an industrial basis on the same side a few 100 metres down the road. It also said that another construction project is going on in the northern side and close to the water level near Umiam Lake.
“It is hoped that all construction activities which have a likelihood of affecting the Umiam waters are monitored and it is ensured that construction is taken up and to such extent as would be permissible in accordance with law upon undertaking an environmental impact assessment thereof. The State should report on the ongoing construction works around the Umiam Lake, including the newly finished cafe referred to above and any other project in the pipeline for which any permission may have been sought or granted,” the High Court said.
As far as the cleanliness of the lake is concerned, the High Court expressed hope that the measures taken recently are continued on a periodic basis and both the locals and the tourists made aware by putting up appropriate signboards and ensuring that there is no littering or dumping of any material into the water.
The court also said that volunteers or the like, preferably from the local areas, may be engaged for such purpose upon payment of some form of honorarium.
While directing the State government to file an affidavit dealing with the matters referred to in today’s order within three weeks, the High Court fixed the next hearing on the matter on September 12.
It may be mentioned that on February 23, the High Court has directed the State government and the Autonomous District Councils to ensure that there is no construction of any nature within 50 metres from the mean high flood level of the Umiam Lake on all sides.
