Sukhna Lake's Scorching Struggles: A Legal Tussle

The drying of Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake has sparked concern from India's Chief Justice, who blamed collusion between builders and bureaucrats. The case is part of a long-standing PIL involving environmental issues, with the Supreme Court questioning why such matters bypass high courts. The lake's conservation is under threat from illegal constructions.

The plight of Chandigarh's iconic Sukhna Lake has captured national attention, with the Chief Justice of India voicing concerns over its drying condition due to alleged collusion between builder mafias and bureaucrats. This environmental battle, rooted in a longstanding Public Interest Litigation from 1995, underscores the systemic challenges facing ecological conservation efforts.

As the Chief Justice, flanked by Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, reviewed interim applications, they noted the surprising frequency with which such environmental cases appear in the Supreme Court, bypassing the judiciary's regional echelons. The high court's directive to demolish illegal structures around the lake in 2020 highlights the struggle to protect its ecological integrity.

Amidst this judicial scrutiny, the role of the high courts was called into question, with pleas to empower regional judicial bodies to tackle local environmental issues. The case of Sukhna Lake exemplifies the ongoing conflicts between development interests and environmental preservation in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)