Telangana High Court orders Nirmal Collector to take action against lake encroachers

The High Court on Thursday ordered the Nirmal District Collector to initiate all steps to protect the lakes in the district and take actions against the encroachers.

The HC Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a PIL filed by one K Anjukumar Reddy seeking a direction to protect the Jafar Cheruvu/ Kothaikotch Cheruvu in Nirmal district from illegal encroachments. The Chief Justice bench directed the District Collector, Nirmal to personally visit all the lakes spread across the Nirmal district and also ensure FTL area is fixed including fixing of buffer zone clearly demarcating the lakes, thereby protecting the lakes in Nirmal district from illegal encroachments.

Needless to say, it is the duty of the District Collector to preserve and conserve each and every lake that exists under the district limits. If the directions issued by the Court are not implemented by September 10, the District Collector Nirmal has to personally appear before the Court and give reasons for non-implementation of its orders, the bench ordered.

The Court further directed the Additional District Judge, Nirmal to personally visit the Kothaikotch Cheruvu and inform the Court whether any part of the lake has been filled with soil with an intention to shrink the area of the lake.

The bench observed that it is indeed trying to state that the lakes are crucially relevant for the existence of human beings. They not only contain freshwater which can be used but also we live by way of an ecosystem consisting of flora and fauna. Which needs to be preserved not only for the present but also for the future generations.

The CJ bench directed the District Collector to inform whether the lake protection committee has been constituted or not, if not the same shall be constituted and the concerned SP should be made part of the lake protection committee, the Court said.

The Division Bench further directed the District Collector to initiate immediate action against the alleged encroachers, submit a report with regard to survey and inspection carried out with regard to all the lakes in the district.

In case the High Court finds the dereliction of duties by the concerned government officials a very serious view shall be taken against them, the CJ bench stated.

The matter has been adjourned to September 11.