Nagpur — The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed concerned government departments to submit an affidavit within a week regarding encroachments around Surabardi Lake, located on Amravati Road. The directive came during a hearing presided over by Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Sachin Deshmukh.

Court’s Instructions:

The court asked officials to identify the Khasra numbers (survey plots) that constitute the Surabardi Lake area.
The Tehsildar and City Survey Department are to assist in compiling this data.
The affidavit must also include:
- Land measurements
- Changes, if any, in the official name of the lake
- Details of encroachments on land officially owned by the Irrigation Department

Lake Ownership & Encroachment Concerns:

According to records, part of the encroachment lies on the dam, which is under the Irrigation Department’s jurisdiction.
Khasra documents confirm the department’s ownership of the encroached land.
The court had earlier questioned what action has been taken against those responsible for polluting the lake and encroaching on its surroundings.

Previous Observation:

In a prior hearing, the bench verbally observed that no immediate action should be taken against a few residential structures in the Surabardi area. However, this was not a formal stay order.

About Surabardi Lake:

The lake spans approximately 75.39 hectares.
It serves as a water source for Surabardi village and nearby areas.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by citizen Nitin Shendre, who alleges that unauthorised constructions are polluting the water, rendering it unfit for drinking.