The High Court of Uttarakhand in Nainital has said that a survey be conducted within two kilometer radius of the lakes in Nainital by autonomous organisation National Environmental Engineering Research Institute of India (NEERI). The high court has accorded a period of six weeks to the organisation for conducting the said survey.
According to case details, a Delhi resident head of a non governmental organisation, Tara Singh Rajput had filed a public interests litigation in the high court of Uttarakhand in Nainital stating that the level of water in the Bhimtal lake was receding during the cutting of trees and construction of buildings around the water body.
The petitioner had stated that the existence of the lake is being threatened by the said activities. Hearing on the petition in the past, the court had ordered a stay on construction of buildings within two kilometres radius of Naini lake, Bhimtal lake, Khurpatal lake, Sattal lake and Naukuchiya lake in the Nainital district. The court had also directed that a survey be conducted by NEERI to assess the load bearing capacity of the land area in question.
On Monday, the Nainital lake Development Authority submitted an application in the court requesting that some amendment be made to the order passed in last November. According to the lake development authority, necessary procedure had been conducted for the mapping of 59 buildings but due to the high court order in question, the authorities concerned were not being able to approve the said building maps.
Nyaymitra CD Bahuguna stated that if the said building maps are passed without NEERI report, the high court order dated November 7, 2016 would be rendered of little importance. He also cited the receeding level of water in the Naini lake, stating that it was now posing a risk to the existence of Nainital town. The case is set for next hearing on April 24.