Readers must have come across on several occasions references in these
columns to a retaining wall that the Bhopal Municipal Corporation was
constructing well within the iconic Upper Lake of Bhopal in an area that goes
by the name of Khanugaon. The stated purpose was to create a pedestrian pathway
and a cycle track of around two kilometres for the benefit of the locals. What
was clearly unstated was the plan to build a new boat club at Khanugaon. Newspapers
criticized it, environmentalists as well as local NGOs and Bhopal Citizens’
Forum were up against it. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation was, however,
unrelenting and went ahead with the construction
The matter eventually went to the local bench of the National Green
Tribunal where it is still pending. Its latest directions, given around a
fortnight earlier regarding survey of the “Full Tank Level’ (FTL) of the Lake
and marking of its boundaries after the survey, remains unimplemented so far.
Initially the Municipal Corporation dilly dallied in complying with the
Tribunal’s orders for various reasons. Eventually, it directed the District
Administration to form teams for the survey. This process itself took time as
the municipality was again evading the calls to attend the meetings. After a
great deal of procrastination four teams were formed to go about identifying
the spread of the Lake and mark its boundaries as currently the Lake has
attained its FTL of 1666.80 ft. The survey is now expected to commence from 3rd
August 2016.
In the meantime, however, the Chief Minister took time off to see for
himself what the problem was. Actually, such matters generally do not generate
enough interest among the politicians, especially the political head of the
state. Perhaps, there was a deeper political game behind it as the pedestrian
pathway, a cycling track and a new boat club at Khanugaon was the brainchild of
the erstwhile Minister for Urban Administration who has since been stripped off
of his ministerial position. The serial adverse reporting in the local press
about the controversy that brought the Municipal Corporation into very bad
light also must have played a role. The Corporation was not only unwilling to
comply with the orders of the Tribunal, it had disdain for the contentions of the
NGOs and the Bhopal Citizens’ Forum who asked it to demolish the “ecologically
dangerous” retaining wall, reportedly 10 ft. tall at some places obstructing
the free flow of water and was claimed to be on the FTL but was surreptitiously
constructed well within the boundaries of the Lake. The Commissioner stopped
the ongoing work but did not order the demolition. In this connection readers
will recall the mention that was made of uncivil behavior of Khanugaon
residents with the members of the Citizens’ Forum (Cf. Bhopal Notes 32 dated 23rd
June 2016). Obviously, the residents of Khanugaon had much to gain from the
wall and the boat club. Hence thei anger against the members of Citizens’
Forum.
Ultimately it took a visit to the site by the Chief Minister to push the
matter towards finality. One look at it and he directed demolition of the wall.
The Mayor, all the district officers, , the Municipal Commissioner and other
sundry officers were present. He gave directions to not only to demolish the
contentious wall, he also directed the officers concerned to act according to
the directives of the NGT. He also happened to see the submerged markers and
ordered that these had to be removed and planted at the places where the Lake
had spread itself to to mark its boundaries. What is more, he also directed
thatforests should be developed along the Lake shores and that strict action
against violators of the sanctity of the catchment area.
This is perhaps the first time that the Chief Minister has intervened in
a matter regarding conservation of the environment of the city. The
intervention will be fruitful if the whole thing is thoroughly probed to
identify the officer who was responsible for this misadventure. The earlier
commissioners of the Corporation have reportedly denied any responsibility. The
one who approved the project is reported to have said that he was told the wall
would be at FTL. Obviously, he had not checked the detailed project proposal.
Quite clearly the project was being implemented in deviation of the proposal approved
by the Centre. The charges of the vernacular press that the very custodian of
the Lake was out to strangulate it are largely true. Worse, in the process
public money and public resources were wasted on a project that could never
stand against a proper environmental scrutiny. Exemplary punishments for the guilty
officials for erecting the wall well within the FTL of the Lake need to be taken.
Simultaneously those who have encroached into its catchment area have to be
ousted.
Hopefully, the state government will not allow the matter to rest with
the issue of oral directives of the Chief Minister. It needs to ensure that
such unwise constructions never again take place in and around the Lake, its
surroundings are covered by plantations to the extent possible and the
catchments are cleared of encroachments in compliance of the directives of the
Chief Minister. It also needs to release the report of the Centre for Environmental
Planning & Technology on conservation and development of the Lake for the
information of the general public.
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