Nagpur: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to protect Surabardi Lake from pollution is currently pending before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court. During the hearing on Wednesday, it was revealed that land near the lake, leased to Surabardi Meadows for tourism development, was being used for private purposes.
Taking serious note of this, the court remarked that this amounted to “deception in plain sight.” The court also directed the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) to file an additional response by December 12.
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Saturday18 Jan. 2025
The PIL was heard by Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Vrushali Joshi. It was filed by Nitin Shendre, highlighting the alarming condition of Surabardi Lake, which spans approximately 75.39 hectares and falls under Amravati Road and Wadi Police Station jurisdiction. The petition stated that the lake’s water is unfit for drinking, not just for the Surabardi Gram Panchayat but also for Nagpur city. Additionally, the lake has fallen into disrepair and has been encroached upon.
The petitioner urged the court to issue an order for the immediate implementation of an effective plan to protect the lake from pollution. During a previous hearing, the court had sternly reprimanded the VIDC and directed it to submit all documents related to the land leased to B.K. Agrawal in the area.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the VIDC submitted the required documents. It was revealed that Surabardi Meadows held some land where lawns and resorts had been constructed. Moreover, an additional 2.09 hectares of land adjacent to this area was leased to the establishment between 2005 and 2015 for tourism development purposes. However, the land, meant for tourism, was reportedly being used for private activities.
The court questioned what genuine tourism-related developments had been made during the 10-year lease period. Additionally, if the lease was not renewed after 2015, the court inquired why no action was taken to reclaim the land. The court sought clarification on these matters and directed the Executive Director of VIDC to file a detailed response by December 12.
Spread over an area of 75.39 hectare, the Surabardi lake was built by the Maharashtra Jiwan Pradhikaran (MJP) to provide a source of drinking water for Suraburdi and nearby villages. The MJP purifies the water under Lava-Surabardi Peri Urban Water Supply Scheme and then supplies it to the nearby villages.
