A detailed status report has been submitted before the High Court, Jodhpur on Monday, about the initiatives taken by the district administration of Udaipur under the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) for conservation of the lakes here.

“Apart from the status report, a separate plan has been submitted before the court, illustrating provision for alternative space under the NLCP for washing, bathing, idol immersion and other purposes, so as to prevent the main waterbodies from getting polluted” informed Dr. Pushpendra Bhati, the additional advocate general who is representing the respondents in the matter.

Taking a suo motu cognizance over a TOI report published on October 8, titled “ Dirty lakes, dead fish mark end of festive season”, a double bench of the High Court, Jodhpur had on the same day called in for a petition for writ in public interest with title as Suo Moto Vs the State of Rajasthan through the Collector Udaipur, the Chairman of UIT and the Municipal Corporation to be registered.

The bench, comprising of Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Vijay Bishnoi had pulled up the state government for failing to prevent pollution in lakes and asked why necessary directions be not given to ensure cleanliness of the lakes by prohibiting immersion of idols, garlands, coconut shells, glitters in the lakes of Fateh Sagar and Pichhola.

The court had issued a notice to the state government and after the first listing of the case on October 31, a detailed status report was to be filed in from the respondents on Monday.

“Next hearing will be on November 27 wherein a progress report will be furnished” Bhati said.

Contributed by: Geetha Sunil Pillai