Overview
- A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant warned that Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake is drying and on the verge of destruction.
- The court alleged illegal constructions enabled by collusion among builder groups, bureaucrats and political figures, even calling parts of the litigation a “friendly match.”
- While hearing interim applications in the long-running Godavarman PIL, the bench questioned why such local issues bypass High Courts and asked the Centre’s counsel and the amicus to identify matters suitable for them.
- No fresh enforceable directions were issued, with the court noting the 2020 Punjab and Haryana High Court orders recognizing the lake as a juristic person and directing demolition in the catchment and wetland declaration.
- The lake’s protection spans Chandigarh with an eco-sensitive zone extending into Punjab and Haryana, and environmental advocates called for accountability of officials over years of degradation.