State Govts should consider public interest above politics: Supreme Court
Nov 15, 2022
New Delhi [India], November 15 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while dealing with matters related to taking steps for preventing the flooding of the Ghaggar basin, said that every State Government should consider the public interest above politics and a common man is interested in the solution.
A bench of justices M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh said, "The common man is not interested in meetings but in finding the solution. Every State Government should consider the public interest first above the politics."
The court observed that after the last orders passed by this Court, except for two meetings of the Ghaggar Standing Committee, no further concrete steps have been taken either by the State of Punjab and/or the State of Haryana on the recommendations made by the CWPRS, Pune.
The court noted that status reports were filed on behalf of the states concerned, Punjab and Haryana and said that it appears that no further concrete steps are taken except holding the meetings.
The court observed that the major portion of the affected area is the State of Punjab, but the State of Punjab has not taken the matter very seriously.
The court directed the state governments to take the issue seriously and sincerely so that the people of 25 villages affected due to floods every year may not have to suffer any further.
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing on behalf of the State of Haryana and Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, appearing on behalf of the State of Punjab, has prayed to grant four weeks' time, at this stage, to prepare and submit the Detailed Project Reports [DPR] on the implementation of the CWPRS, Pune recommendations and the earlier orders passed by this Court.
The Detailed Project Reports shall be absolutely in tune with the recommendations/Report of the CWPRS, Pune and no State shall deviate from the same, the court said.
The States concerned were directed by the Supreme Court to prepare and submit the proposed Detailed Project Reports implementing the recommendations made in the final Model Study Report submitted by the CWPRS, Pune and the orders passed by this Court within a period of four weeks.
The court listed the matter for January 3 2023 for further hearing.
The court also said that before submitting the proposed Detailed Project Reports before this Court, the same should be shared by the concerned States to the Central Water Commission [CWC] and the Central Water Commission to apprise the Court whether the proposed Detailed Project Reports are in consonance with the recommendations made by the CWPRS, Pune or not.
In the Detailed Project Reports, the concerned States shall fix the time-limit which shall be reasonable and which may not delay the implementation of the recommendations because every year at least a minimum of 25 villages suffer because of the flood, the court said.
