SCI Expresses Concern Over Sukhna Lake; PHHC Panel to Examine Tree Felling

The Supreme Court of India came down heavily on the alleged collusion of builder-mafia and bureaucrats resulting in ecological damage of Chandigarh’s iconic Sukhna Lake. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, ‘There are illegal constructions in collusion and connivance with bureaucrats, backed by political entities in Panjab resulting in complete destruction of the lake. Do you want to dry the lake?’ In recent days, Sukhna Lake also encountered an oil spill. A team of the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee had pumped out the oil from the affected area and had collected samples of both oil and water to ascertain the cause of the spill. The incident raised environmental concerns as the lake and its surrounding areas are notified wetlands and host migratory birds. Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) indicated that it would find ways to protect the green cover of Panjab while allowing essential infrastructure development as the state government and the National Highways Authority of India argued that its blanket ban on tree felling was stalling key infrastructure and commercial projects. As it declined to revoke its blanket ban on tree felling, PHHC has set up a panel to study the trees proposed to be cut for the construction of roundabouts in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar. The panel, comprising nominees of the Panjab Advocate General, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and the Forest Department, has been directed to inspect the area and submit a detailed report by 30 Jan. PHHC expressed concern over the cutting of mature and heritage species such as peepal and banyan (ficus species). Chief Justice Sheel Nagu asked GMADA’s counsel, ‘Do you want your children and grandchildren to survive or not?’ Concurrently, Panjab Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) noted that parts of Panjab, Haryana and Chandigarh fall in Category VI of seismically prone areas, making strategic planning ‘urgently indispensable.’ RERA has called for urgent regional and national-level strategic planning of real estate development and warned of a ‘lack of vision’ among competent authorities issuing licenses (earlier coverage).