Nagpur: In a brazen display of disregard for regulations, the construction of a Swami Vivekananda Memorial near Ambazari Lake has ignited a firestorm of controversy, putting both irresponsible officials and ‘credit hungry’ politicians under intense scrutiny. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has sounded the alarm, taking stern notice of the memorial’s construction in an area devoid of any development zone.
At the heart of this disturbing saga lies probing questions demanding urgent answers. Did officials, driven by a desire to please their political overlords, unilaterally go ahead for the memorial’s construction without due approval? Should politicians, quick to bask in the glory of this project and taking credit, escape unscathed from their role in this flagrant breach of protocol? Or will the sacrificial lamb be the very officials entrusted with upholding the law, sacrificed at the altar of political expediency?
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Saturday18 Jan. 2025
Nagpurians are not merely spectators to this unfolding drama; they are stakeholders demanding transparency, accountability, and justice. The cloak of ambiguity shrouding this affair must be swiftly lifted, and those responsible held to task. The credibility of both governance and democracy hangs in the balance, awaiting the swift and decisive hand of justice to restore faith in the system. As the city awaits answers, one thing remains abundantly clear: Accountability cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
Censuring Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Friday directed it to file an affidavit naming the official who granted permission for the construction of Vivekananda Memorial in the spillway of Ambazari dam. The area is designated as a ‘no-development zone’, and the statue was allegedly a contributing factor to the flash floods of September 23 last year.
The court’s intervention underscores the gravity of the situation, summoning the Divisional Commissioner and Advocate General to the upcoming hearing on May 8. With a keen eye on accountability, the judiciary is poised to unravel the tangled web of irresponsible decision-making that led to this flagrant violation.
Expressing dismay over the matter, the High Court took a stern stance against the officials of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The division bench of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri conducted the hearing on Friday. Earlier in the day, NMC officials were absent during the proceedings, which led the High Court to order their presence at 4 pm. Additional Commissioner of NMC Anchal Goyal and other officials appeared in compliance with the court’s directive.
During the hearing, the High Court inquired whether the entire area surrounding Ambazari Lake falls within a development zone. Dissatisfied with the response from NMC lawyers, the court strongly advised them that such expectations couldn’t be placed upon them. Furthermore, the court directed the NMC counsel to summon all senior officers and questioned why they weren’t in attendance.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the response, the court warned of issuing contempt notices against absent officials. The court stressed upon the violation of rules in erecting the monument and ordered concerned departments and NMC to submit an affidavit by May 7. The next hearing is scheduled for May 8.
The matter was brought to court through a Public Interest Petition filed by Satyanarayan Badrinarayan Jaju, Sumeet Satish Thakur, and Sanjay Pandharinath Dhoble, represented by Adv Prashant Sathianathan. The petition highlighted the unauthorised felling of trees near Ambazari Dam by the NMC, which began without waiting for citizens’ objections or obtaining proper permissions.
Ambazari Lake is designated as a wetland which resulted in the High Court questioning the construction of the memorial and warning against making citizens’ lives vulnerable. The court also directed the Executive Director of the Irrigation Department to submit an affidavit regarding the matter.
In a separate Public Interest Litigation filed due to financial losses incurred by citizens following water seepage from Ambazari Lake during heavy rains in September 2023, various demands were made.
Adv Tushar Mandlekar represented the petitioners, Adv Nivedia Mehnata appeared for the State, Adv Ravi Sanyal for MPCB, Adv Prashant Sathianathan for the petitioners and Adv Gemini Casat for NMC.
