Independent panel should assess water schemes: HC

March 15, 2017 12:43 am | Updated 12:43 am IST - Mumbai

Independent people must look into implementation of Maharashtra water schemes, the Bombay High Court said on Tuesday.

A Division Bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Anuja Prabhudessai was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Professor Hiralal Motilal Desarda, who is associated with Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics at Pune. The Bench told the petitioner to suggest names of people who should head the independent expert committee to look into water management schemes by March 31.

Mr. Desarda has raised various issues concerning environment and water management and has been espousing the cause of drought prone areas in the State for several years. The PIL points out that Jalyukta Shivar and River Rejuvenation Schemes are not adopted by following a systematic scientific and planned approach.

The prosecutor informed the court that they have come up with the name of a municipal commissioner of Aurangabad who recently retired and was a part of implementing the programmes. The court said no serving official will be able to critique the work of the government. The court also said that this committee should not be a departmental inquiry committee but must evaluate the schemes of the government.

In an order passed on December 22 last year, the court had said, “there is no overall and comprehensive policy decision taken by the State before starting the implementation of the said two schemes. If the petitioner is right, the consequences of implementing the schemes in an unscientific manner may be a drastic and devastating. The State may consider referring the issue for consideration of Regulatory Authority under the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority Act, 2005 which is a body of experts,” the court recorded.

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