Nagpur: Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court have accepted the unconditional apology submitted by the State Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik, who was present in the Court, in compliance with the direction of the Court issued on Wednesday during the hearing of the PIL filed by Ramgopal Bachuka and three other residents of the Ambazari area, which were severely affected due to recent floods there and insensitivity displayed by the respondent authorities regarding adverse conditions, which had affected 26,612 families.
Through an affidavit, the Chief Secretary assured the HC that henceforth, the orders passed by the Court in this PIL will be complied with scrupulously and without any delay. He informed the Court that he had conducted the meeting of all concerned authorities on December 15 last and had instructed all of them to accelerate works and to undertake the same on priority basis and also in compliance with the directions of the HC. He also informed the court that he would see to it that appropriate measures were taken by the concerned Departments including the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on priority basis.
After a rap from the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, Maharashtra Advocate General Birendra Saraf on Thursday assured the court that the state government would constitute a high-level panel to monitor the Ambazari dam. Appearing through video conferencing from Mumbai, Saraf said the state would file an additional affidavit by January 24 regarding compliance of HC orders issued on March 21, 2018.
Admitting there was a delay of over five years to comply with the orders, the AG said he would ensure that the officials submit a monthly report of progress works related to the dam repairs and Nag River. He said some work on the dam strengthening has already started and even tenders were floated.
Earlier, Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik who attended the proceedings after being summoned by HC over government’s failure to comply with its 2018 orders of taking steps to protect the 150-year-old earthen dam of Ambazari lake, was accompanied by NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari and NIT Chairman Manojkumar Suryawanshi and other top civic officials in a packed courtroom.
A division bench comprising Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri, which was hearing a PIL filed by flood-hit victims, noted that the AG has informed that the panel would be headed by a high-level officer and would file an additional affidavit listing out steps taken for complying with its orders.
Judges pointed out that the AG has assured the panel would ensure better coordination between civic and government departments .
While adjourning the hearing till January last week, the bench said as the AG had assured to submit time-bound plans for complying with its orders and also took a serious note of the PIL, it dispenses the chief secretary from appearing.
Tushar Mandlekar, appearing for the petitioners, prayed for removing encroachments and rejuvenation of Nag River and Ambazari lake. Citing the damage caused due to the September 23 flash flood in the city as a “manmade disaster”, the petitioners sought a judicial inquiry for fixing responsibility on government officials over water-logging in over 25,000 homes due to overflowing of Nag River and Ambazari lake.
Advocate Dr T D Mandlekar appeared for the petitioners. Additional Government Pleader (Addl GP) Nivedita Mehta (State), Advocates Jemini Kasat (NMC), G A Kunte (NIT) represented the respondents.
