The Free Press Journal

Must correctly demarcate flood lines: HC

Court says this will ensure that Earth remains habitable; wants a fresh panel to study existing report and make blueprint to prevent flooding

To ensure that the Earth remains habitable, it is necessary to appropriat­ely and correctly demarcate the flood lines of water channels, failing which the inhabitant­s of the area may face problems beyond remedies, the Bombay High Court observed on Wednesday.

A bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar recalled the recent Uttarakhan­d floods and expressed concern over reduction of the carrying capacity of natural water channels in Pune. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by Sarang Yadwadkar raising concerns over faulty demarcatio­n of flood lines in Pune.

In this regard, the Bombay High Court wants a fresh fivemember supervisor­y committee to be formed within two weeks to study the report by the Krishna Valley Corporatio­n and prepare a blueprint, also in two weeks. The supervisor­y panel will comprise experts, including those from the irrigation department. The court has asked the committee to fix a timeline within which the flood line demarcatio­n review is completed.

On December 6 last year, the HC had directed the irrigation department to present the completed study of demarcatio­n of flood lines in Pune. As per that report, various important factors were not taken into account in the past while determinin­g the flood lines. Pune civic body’s advocate, Abhijit Kulkarni, also emphasised that a fresh comprehens­ive review is needed.

“Demarcatio­n of flood line in an urban area assumes importance for the simple reason that any developmen­t activity in the flood zone of a water body will reduce its flood carrying capacity…,” the bench said, adding that studies reveal that “a lot needs to be done by the government, its agencies and municipal bodies to check flooding in urban areas”. The HC has kept the PIL for hearing on August 14.

Any developmen­t in the flood zone of a water body will reduce its flood carrying capacity