Sarthak Umang
Published on: 13 November 2022 at 22:25 IST
On November 15, the bench of Supreme Court directed the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Haryana states to appear before it because the states failed to abide by court directions issued on August 17, 2022.
According to the Supreme Court, Punjab and Haryana failed to respond to its specific directions regarding overflooding of the Ghaggar Basin, which affects more than 25 villages every year.
A division bench of Justices MR Shah and MM Sundresh ask to take measures recommended by CWPRS, Pune to state government and also discuss the implementation of the recommendations with concerned stakeholders every four weeks.
After receiving all further information from the concerned States on implementation of the recommendations, the bench instructed the Ghaggar Standing Committee to submit a report every three months to the Central Water Commission. Calling the state’s dereliction “unfortunate“.
Justices MR Shah and MM Sundresh said, “It is very unfortunate that despite the aforesaid specific directions, the respective states have not responded in true spirit. Though, of course, the State of Haryana has submitted one report, which is not satisfactory at all.”
“The State of Punjab has not even bothered to file the Status Report. This is how the concerned States are serious in tackling the problem of over-flooding of Ghaggar basin. There is no respect of the Supreme Court’s order so far as the States of Punjab and Haryana are concerned.”
The bench reiterated and directed the concerned States to be serious and sincere in tackling the flood problem in Ghaggar basin, which affects more than 25 villages every year.