The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu cognizance of the floods and heavy rains affecting North India, including states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and parts of Delhi and Haryana and sent notices to the Centre and four states. The states have been asked to reply to the notice within three weeks.
“We have seen unprecedented landslides and floods in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. From the media reports it is noticed that in the flood a huge number of wood was flowing along. Prima facie it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees. Thus issue notice to respondents. Returnable in two weeks. Liberty to serve central agencies. NHAI is a party,” CJI BR Gavai said.
The Chief Justice pointed out, “Entire fields and villages in Punjab seem to have been wiped out by floods” and stressed, “Development and environmental protection need to be balanced.”
The apex court noted media reports which indicated that innumerable wooden blocks are floating in the rivers in Himachal Pradesh. The court also directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to get instructions in relation to issue, observing that the government to respond to the notice in three weeks.
At the hearing, the Solicitor Genera said, “Unfortunately, we have played with nature too much… now it is hitting back.”
The northern Indian states to which the Supreme Court has issued notice are reeling from an unprecedented crisis, a consequence of a manipulative monsoon season that was uniquely heavy and long-lasting. In the region, there are severe floods, extreme landslides, and rain that do not stop falling.
Himachal Pradesh, primarily, has been especially impacted by a catastrophic combination of flooding and landslide activity. In August, the state received the highest recorded amount of rainfall since 1949, resulting in frequent landslides and land subsidence which piled up homes, destroyed infrastructural pieces, and caused the loss of over 340 lives, with many still missing.
Delhi is dealing with urban flooding and serious water logging. The Yamuna has surpassed the danger mark following continuous and unchecked discharge from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana and has flooded low-lying areas, displaced thousands, and shut down critical infrastructure.
