SHIMLA: Taking suo moto note of non-release of 15-20 per cent water in the Uhal and Beas rivers in Mandi, High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Friday slapped notices on Chief Secretary, deputy commissioner Mandi and state pollution regulator and others to seek their reply on May 31.
The Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed these orders in a petition taken up suo moto by the Court as Public Interest Litigation on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice by one Narender Saini, Chairman, Dev Bhumi Environment Savior Forum, Mandi.
High Court has issued notice to Chief secretary, Principal Secretary (Environment Science and Technology), Government of Himachal Pradesh, Chairman, H.P. State Pollution Board and Deputy Commissioner Mandi. The Court has sought reply as to why water from the Pandoh and Barot dams to the Beas and Uhal rivers as per orders of National Green Tribunal is not being released.
Since the Pandoh dam is manned by the Bhakra Beas Management Board and such the board is likely to be brought under the scanner of the court.
Uhal and Beas Rivers Life blood of Mandi and Kamand, IIT Mandi town
Ir needs to be mentioned here that Uhl and Beas rivers are the Life blood of Mandi and Kamand, IIT Mandi towns.
The petitioner has stated that as per NGT order passed on 9th August, 2017, it is mandatory to release 15 to 20% water from dams.
NGT has made Mandatory for power projects to Maintain Environmental Flow
As matter of fact, release of 15-20 per cent of given water flow downstream in the river is mandatory and it is called “environment flow” to save aquatic life of the river system.
Petitioner say that from 27.03.2022 onwards, only nominal water is being released from Pandoh and Barot dams to the Beas and Uhal rivers. The petitioner has alleged that several requests were made to the concerned department and a complaint was also registered on the Chief Minister helpline number.
The petitioner has further alleged that the issue was also brought to the notice of the Regional Pollution Control Board Bilaspur. The officials of the Pollution Control Board even conducted inspection of Pandoh and Barot dams.
During inspection, the water was released for a while, but as soon as inspection party left, the flow of the water was again stopped.
It has been further alleged that dam authority is providing wrong information to the State Government that they are releasing water as per norms.
It has also stated by the petitioner that Pollution Control Board has issued several show cause notices to the dam authorities, but no fruitful result has come out.
The petitioner has alleged that this act of dam authorities can result in spreading of diseases. It is also a threat to environment and aquatic creatures. It can also lead to scarcity of drinking water and irrigation due to inadequate water being released by the dam authorities.
The petitioner has submitted that he is working for protection of environment and has sought intervention of the High Court in the matter.
The matter has been fixed for 31.05.2022.
