The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the State government to come out with comprehensive terms of reference to undertake a survey and study of catchment areas of Tippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy issued the direction while hearing a PIL petition initiated by the court recently. The court took suo motu action after the government withdrew a 2003 notification through which the catchment area was classified into several zones where activities other than related to agriculture were prohibited. The court has stayed the notification issued in July 2014 through which the 2003 notification was withdrawn. Though the State said that it had entrusted the study to the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, the amicus curiae pointed out that terms and reference should not be like what the State has proposed but instead be comprehensive.
