Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had on October 10 issued notices to the Chief Secretary of State, Secretary Irrigation Department, Secretary Relief and Rehabilitation Department, District Collector, Municipal Commissioner, Nagpur Improvement Trust, Heritage Committee, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Maha Metro, EE Irrigation Nagpur and had directed them to file their replies within three weeks. But the authorities reportedly failed in filing their replies in the stipulated time. Subsequently, the High Court has again issued notices seeking reply by November 29.
The court had issued the notices in response to a PIL filed by the flood-affected citizens of Nagpur. Counsel for petitioners Adv Dr Tushar Mandlekar had argued that the three government authorities have made illegal constructions and hence there is a need for judicial inquiry.
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Saturday 23 Nov. 2024
Now, a group of residents of Ambazari have taken their concerns to the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court and sought mediation regarding the contentious NIT Skating Rink on Nag River in the area. The residents have urged the High Court to resume the Skating rink.
Justice Atul Chandurkar and Justice Abhay Mantri have summoned the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Nagpur Improvent Trust (NIT) to submit their responses by November 29. The dispute stems in the aftermath of heavy rains that lashed the city on September 23 leading to flooding of Ambazari Lake and Nag river areas.
The floods caused devastation of houses, shopping malls, cinema halls, shops, hospitals, schools, colleges, hostels, railway stations, and bus stands. This resulted in financial losses to residents and businessmen. A separate Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been initiated to demand compensation and a comprehensive inquiry by three sitting judges of the High Court.
In the PIL, the petitioners have urged the High Court to address their grievances which include relocating the Vivekananda Memorial, controversial compound wall and NIT Skating Rink constructed on Nag river. In the previous hearing related to the PIL, the High Court issued notices to various authorities, including the Principal Secretary of the State Government, Secretary of the Irrigation Department, Relief and Rehabilitation Department, NMC, NIT, Collector, Heritage Committee, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, and Mahametro.
In the PIL, they have called for compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each flood-affected family and Rs 10 lakh to affected shopkeepers.
Adv Girish Kunte and Anil Mardikar are representing the petitioners in this case.
The Bombay High Court had directed the NMC and Maha Metro to take necessary steps to protect and preserve the Ambazari Dam in PIL No 96/2017 on March 21, 2018, but even after six years no steps were taken by the administration, Adv Mandlekar stated.
The petitioners have demanded judicial inquiry to fix the responsibility of Government authorities into the entire disaster happening due to overflowing of Ambazari which, according to them, occurred due to negligence of civic authorities. According to the petitioners, the right of way of water was blocked and the water could not smoothly pass through Nag River and so was diverted to the surrounding colonies due to illegal constructions of Maha Metro and NMC.
The petitioners have also demanded Rs 2,000 crore for rejuvenation of Nag River, Rs 250 crore for construction and repairs of Sewage and Drainage Lines. The petitioners have demanded ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each affected family which comes to around Rs 1,000 crore. The petitioners have also demanded relocation of Vivekananda Smarak which is constructed in front of the spillway of Ambazari Dam and is within 100 metres of Dam.
