Rajasthan HC fines two officials for ignoring lake survey orders
The Rajasthan high court has imposed a fine of ₹50,000 each on two bureaucrats for failing to comply with its directions regarding district-wise lake surveys under the Rajasthan Lakes (Protection and Development) Authority Act, 2015.
Hearing a suo moto writ petition pending since 2016, the division bench of Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Chandra Shekhar Sharma on Friday took serious note of continued non-compliance and observed that no sincere effort had been made by the state authorities apart from filing 'half-baked affidavits'.
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In its earlier order dated November 18, 2024, the high court had granted three months to complete the survey of lakes across all districts. The order had underlined that while nine lakes had been notified so far, the real task was to conduct a district-wise survey to identify other lakes that must be notified under the 2015 Act. The bench had then specifically directed, 'Let the exercise towards completion of survey be undertaken and all endeavor be made to complete the process of survey within a period of three months.'
The order also recorded that the State Level Committee had held a series of meetings with district authorities and required financial assistance from the government to carry out the survey. A phased release of funds was also ordered by the court.
However, despite the time given, no compliance affidavit was filed and no application seeking extension was submitted prompting the court to impose costs while observing, 'This must be made known to the State authorities that the Court's order must be complied within the stipulated time and non-compliance of the Court's orders shall be viewed very seriously in the matter like the present one which pertains to public interest.'
The court said it saw no justification for the non-compliance.
'It is clear on a glance at the order dated November 18, 2024, that the survey was already ongoing and some meetings were held by the State Level Committee for obtaining survey reports and therefore this Court directed the respondents to complete the survey within three months' time.'
The additional advocate general informed the court that the survey was still ongoing, which the bench found unsatisfactory.
The court directed both officials to deposit the ₹50,000 each within two weeks with the Registrar (Administration) of the High Court. The amount will be drawn in favour of Government Blind School, Mata ka Than, Jodhpur, and Government Blind School, Jaipur.
The matter is now listed for further hearing on May 23, 2025.
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