Reproduced from : https://www.facebook.com/notes/nainital-the-city-of-lakes/pil-alleging-rampant-encroachment-in-nainital/10152965623448219
PIL Alleging Rampant Encroachment In Nainital.
July 4, 2014 at 11:18pm
The Uttarakhand high court has banned the use of polythene bags in Nainital
district and ordered that Rs 500 fine be imposed on anyone found using it from
July 15. It also ordered the DM to file an affidavit on the details of
construction within 30 metres of all lakes in the district. As per building
bylaws, no construction, permanent or temporary, is allowed within 30 metres of
the lakes.
A bench of Justice Servesh Kumar Gupta and Justice Alok Singh passed the
order on Thursday after hearing a PIL alleging rampant encroachment in
Nainital. The petitioner, Ajay Rawat, an environmental activist, had also
raised the issues of pollution due to polythene bags in his PIL.
The ban will cover hilly areas like Bhimtal and Mukteshwar and also low
lying areas like the industrial Haldwani and Lalquan belts. The administration
has also been ordered to inform the public about the ban by printing
advertisements and putting up posters on public boards at the site of lakes in
Nainital district.
The district, which has lakes like Bheemtal, Khurpa Tal, Naukuchiya Tal,
Sukha Tal and Saat Tal, has been witnessing unchecked commercial construction.
The petitioner welcomed the court order, saying, "I had no option but to
seek justice from the court since the authorities and politicians did not help
to take up the issue of encroachment."
Source : - Times Of India - Jul 4, 2014 (Dehradun)
Court Order : - http://lobis.nic.in/uhc/AS/orders/03-07-2014/AS03072014WPPIL312012.pdf
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