HC Issues Notices on Plea for Judicial Inquiry into Nagpur Floods

The Bombay High Court has issued notices to various agencies within the Maharashtra government in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a judicial inquiry into the causes of the recent floods that severely disrupted normal life in Nagpur city. The PIL also seeks compensation for the families affected by the flooding.

Advocate Tushar Mandlekar, representing the petitioners, contended that illegal constructions by government agencies had exacerbated the situation by obstructing natural water channels. He stressed the need for a judicial inquiry to establish accountability, asserting that the overflow of Ambazari lake, which precipitated the flooding, was the result of a negligent attitude on the part of civic authorities.

A division bench comprising Justices Atul Chandurkar and Vrushali Joshi issued notices to key officials and departments, including the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Secretary of the Irrigation Department, Secretary of the Relief and Rehabilitation Department, District Collector, Municipal Commissioner, Nagpur Improvement Trust, Heritage Committee, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Maha Metro, and the Irrigation Department. They have been directed to submit their responses within three weeks.

The PIL was filed by Ramgopal Agrawal, Jayashree Bansod, and Natthuji Tikkas, all residents of areas affected by the floods. The petition highlights that illegal constructions by Maha Metro and Nagpur Municipal Corporation blocked natural water channels, causing flooding in the surrounding residential areas as floodwaters could not pass through the Nag river.

The PIL seeks several remedies, including Rs 2,000 crore for the rejuvenation of the Nag river, Rs 250 crore for the construction and repair of sewage and drainage lines, and ex-gratia compensation of Rs five lakh for each affected family, totaling approximately Rs 1,000 crore. The petitioners also demand the relocation of the Vivekananda Smarak, which was constructed in front of a spillway of Ambazari dam, and the formation of an expert committee to assess the damage to the dam.