New Delhi, The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Bihar government’s response on a plea seeking the protection of three iconic and ancient ponds of Darbhanga city that are allegedly being filled up by State agencies.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued a notice and posted the matter for further hearing on May 4.
Advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, along with advocate Renu, told the court that the three historic ponds of Ganga Sagar, Digghi and Harahi in Darbhanga district were systematically filled and encroached upon by none other but the agencies of the State.
He submitted that the filling of the ponds is completely contrary to the orders passed by the National Green Tribunal , the high court and the apex court.
“That since the State is acting in contravention of these orders and having been left with no other remedy, the petitioner herein is constrained to approach this court seeking an urgent and immediate remedy to stop further filling of the ponds and further to remove all the encroachment in and around the three ponds of Darbhanga and restore those to their original position as depicted in the maps of the years 1868 and 1960,” the plea filed by NGO Talab Bachao Abhiyan has said.
The NGO has claimed that Ganga Sagar, Digghi and Harahi in Darbhanga are 800 to 900 years old historical ponds that were constructed by kings Gang Singh Dev , Shakr Singh Dev and Hari Singh Dev respectively.
These ponds are precious, historical and a cultural heritage not only for Darbhanga but for the entire state of Bihar, the NGO has submitted and its petition also concerns the policy of the state with regard to ponds and lakes in general.
The petition has said the alarming reason for which the petitioner had to approach this court is the recent act of filling up the ponds by agencies of the State, especially the BUIDCO .
“The said act has shocked the very conscience of the local community in the area who have protested, made representations, news has been reported. However, the filling has continued, which if not stopped would completely damage and destroy the ponds forever,” the plea has said.
It has further said that this act of filling the ponds is completely illegal and arbitrary and contemptuous in nature on the face of the fact that the NGO has been before the NGT for the protection and preservation of these water bodies, certain orders have been passed to preserve and protect the same and the execution of the orders is pending before the green tribunal.
“There are orders passed by the Patna High Court too for the preservation of the ponds and on the face of the fact that listing of the petition in the Patna High Court takes considerable time and the NGT, Kolkata, has no regular bench to hear the matters and the destruction of the ponds is being done on a war footing, the petitioner is making the present attempt by way of approaching this court to protect these ponds,” the petition has said.
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