Skyscrapers will cause ripples in Sukhna’s fragile ecology

Sukhna Lake is a jewel of the City Beautiful. It is a morning walkers’ delight and serves as a bower for those suffering from stress. It is horrendous to note that in our materialistic pursuit,  man is destroying the green cover brazenly. Every year, during the scorching summer, the regulatory end of of the lake that houses rare species of flora and fauna, gets parched, proving a death knell for the aquatic life. It is a solace that the Delhi High Court scrapped the Tata Camelot plan of raising skyscrapers and gave a lease of life to the Sukhna. Encroachments and unbridled construction must be dealt with severely. 

Rajesh Bajaj, Chandigarh

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Buildings will have no impact on flow of water

Scientifically, rainwater flows into a water body through the catchment area and the construction of skyscrapers will have no impact on its flow. Chandigarh itself falls in the catchment of the Ghaggar. Will you stop construction activities in Chandigarh? Unless the water divide of a basin is changed, which is not possible, you cannot stop the rainwater from flowing into a water body. In my view, the construction will reduce erosion and siltation of the Sukhna.

Dr Gurdev Singh, Mohali

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Act sincerely

Tata Camelot’s ambitious plan of raising skyscrapers in the Sukhna’s vicinity must be nipped in the bud. The Sukhna is the soul of the city and none should be allowed to mar its beauty. Moreover, the city is an architectural marvel that should be preserved by prohibiting unnecessary construction activities in the name of modernity. The Punjab and Chandigarh Administration should not wait for the court orders in this direction but reject projects that damage its originality.  No construction should be allowed in the lake’s vicinity as the pollution-level is already on the rise and its water level is decreasing day-by-day. The authorities must take the Save Sukhna campaign seriously.

Rashi Srivastava, Chandigarh

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Avoid blanket ban on construction activities

The construction of small dwelling units in the villages surrounding the lake by people from other states, who cannot afford to buy high-cost houses in Chandigarh, will have no impact on the health of the lake. Migrants made Chandigarh what it is today. A blanket ban on the construction of such houses hampers the growth and development of the villages as well as the city.

Ajit Singh, Rankin, Windsor (Canada)

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Let Sukhna remain unique

If Chandigarh too imitates attributes of centuries-old metropolitan cities in the country, then where will it stand as the country’s first planned city? The city has already been robbed of its overall uniqueness. At least, some of its areas like those around the lake need be allowed to remain unique. Hence, there is no scope for the Tata Camelot’s ambitious housing project in its vicinity.

MPS Chadha, Mohali

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Save the ecosystem

Construction activities around the Sukhna should be banned with immediate effect. We need to save our ecosystem.  Urban development in the Sukhna catchment area will have an adverse affect on the environment. Stern steps should be taken to prevent water and soil pollution. The Administration should retain the glory of the Sukhna as the level of water in it is decreasing day-by-day.

Kamalpreet Kaur, Mohali

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Wrong to construct skyscrapers 

I am of the opinion that raising skyscrapers around the lake must be discouraged. On the other hand, instead of raising such imposing structures, small buildings can be constructed so that such type of projects do not face a precarious situation. Illegal structures should also be demolished. 

Tarlok Singh, Mani Majra

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Step up vigil

The catchment area of the Sukhna should be left untouched. This is possible by collective efforts of the Punjab, Haryana and UT authorities. They should issue an advisory in this regard to keep unwanted/illegal construction in the catchment area away. If need be, forest guards/security personnel may be deployed  to keep vigil. CCTV cameras can be installed in the area to intimate and record any unlawful construction. Already constructed structures should be demolished immediately. Drones can also be used for surveillance. The area should be monitored on a regular basis.

Dr Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

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Project violated norms

The Delhi High Court has set aside the clearance given by the Punjab Environment Ministry to Tata Camelot’s skyscrapers. It has been observed that it is not in conformity with the notification of the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Since the project near Sukhna Lake fell in its catchment area and is surrounded by a bird sanctuary, it could not be pursued further.

Nikita Kapur, Chandigarh

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Declare area around Sukhna a reserved forest 

The order against the project is a matter of relief for city residents, who have a soft corner for the preservation of the nature. The High Court directions will restrict the raising of jungles of concrete by insensitive builders. The area surrounding the lake should be declared a reserve forest to maintain the ecological balance.

Bhupinder S Sealopal, Mohali

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Adopt zero tolerance towards violations 

The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directions to the UT Administration, Haryana and Punjab that not only the construction activity in the catchment area should be stopped but also any construction carried out against the High Court mandate should be demolished is well in line with the need of time and is surely commendable. Till the law enforcement agencies work with an iron fist, no improvement can be achieved. There should be zero tolerance towards the violations.

Rakesh Chaudhry, Ambala Cantt

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Corrupt politicians, officials to blame  

I welcome the Delhi High Court’s ruling. The Tata Camelot project was the brainchild of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats as they were to get free flats besides lakhs of rupee in lieu of giving permission for the project. It was an illogical and unlawful idea as the skyscrapers, if built, would have blocked the natural beauty of the Shivalik Hills, going against the very idea of the City Beautiful. The nexus between politicians-bureaucrats-businessmen must not be allowed to play a havoc with the character of the city.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

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Court order will help in eco conservation 

The High Court verdict is a victory for the cause of environment and heritage conservation. Heritage lovers and experts feel that the project would have had a catastrophic effect on the city’s heritage, especially when the Capital Complex has been declared a world heritage site. The court decision had come as a blessing to save its original character. 

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Comply with orders

The Tata Camelot project involved the interests of high-profile politicians but after the court judgment, the Punjab, Haryana and UT authorities should comply with the directions. No construction activity should be allowed further and already constructed structures should be demolished without any notice.

AS Ahuja, Chandigarh

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Preservation of lake  more important

We welcome the Delhi High Court’s ruling. Permission should not have been granted to the project. Hats off to the court, otherwise the Sukhna catchment area would have been made commercial and the beauty of the Sukhna would have been a history. Now, the authorities should at once demolish illegal buildings. The preservation of the area is more important than its commercialisation.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Judgment will raise more questions than answers

The  judgment  of the court will raise  more  questions  than answers. The height  of  a  building  would have no impact on the flow of rainwater. A single-storey  building  or  a  20-storey  tower  with  the  same  plinth area, will have the same impact. While  hundreds  of  small buildings have already sprung  up around  Kansal,  Kaimbwala and  Kajheri in the past  20  years, the  axe  has  fallen on  the  ambitious Camelot project only. I hope  the Tatas  do not step back after the judgment. 

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Frame clear rules, guidelines

First of all, the Administration should frame clear rules and guidelines regarding the construction activities in these areas. Then these rules should be  forwarded to all builders and government agencies responsible for its implementation. This will ensure that those violating do not plead ignorance. Then, officials and agencies should be monitored so that nobody issues wrong certificates after taking bribe. In case of any violation, action should be quick, sufficient and stringent. This should also be well publicised to act as a deterrent. The UT, Punjab and Haryana authorities should cooperate so that builders do not take advantage of state borders.

Bubby Soin

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Set up independent planning authority

The recent Delhi High Court ruling, prohibiting the construction of high-rise buildings in the catchment area of Sukhna Lake, has saved the heritage of the city for the time being. However, it is not the end of the problem. Though Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana, they are least bothered about preserving the heritage of the city. The unbridled construction in the vicinity of the city can be checked by setting up an independent regional planning and development authority on the pattern of the NCR for the coordinated development of city and its peripheral areas.

PC Sanghi

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Officials lack the will

The High Court orders have reminded the Administration of its responsibilities. The violations are well known to officials concerned but the lack of will on their part ails the system. Satellite imagery and ground reconnaissance to monitor violations, coupled with exemplary heavy penalties and steering clear of all nexus, are the way forward.

Maj Gen PS Mander (retd), Mohali

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Plan properly 

The government should plan in a way that there is no harm to the natural resources and the project is also completed. The ways that can fulfil the requirement are: Skyscrapers should be built at such a place where the land is not useful. It should not deplete our natural resources. If a skyscraper is built near the Sukhna, it will dry up the lake, which will lead to the death of fishes and ducks. Innovative ideas are the need of the hour.

Umang, Ambala

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Preserve ecology of lake

The Sukhna, which is the pride of Chandigarh, should be free from construction activity because it can be a recipe for disaster. The government should take serious steps to improve the water level and maintain population of the ecology of the lake. Lakes will keep us closer to the nature.

Gautam, Ambala     

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OPEN HOUSE COMMENT
Act against law-breakers to save Sukhna
Nitin Jain

Unbridled and rampant development arising out of the unchecked illegal construction on the periphery of Chandigarh, especially in the catchment area of the Sukhna, the only water body in the City Beautiful, is once again in news for obvious reasons.

Sukhna Lake is once again crying for attention due to a sharp dip in its water level. The reduced storage capacity and shrinking submergence area, coupled with rising average bed level, endless discharge of sewage and mushrooming illegal constructions in the catchment area, continue to rob the Sukhna of both water and life.

This perennial issue has once again come to the fore with the Delhi High Court ruling the other day that since the Tata Camelot project fell in the Sukhna catchment area, it could not come up with the present clearances, which stand cancelled. While this ruling has placed the project of skyscrapers in a precarious situation, the Punjab and High Court has, in the “Save Sukhna” case, directed the states of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Chandigarh Administration, not just to stop all construction activity in the catchment area, but also demolish without notice any construction carried out against the High Court order.

Ironically, the situation at the ground level remains what it was. Neither any demolition activity can be seen, nor is there any check on further unplanned, haphazard and unauthorised construction in the area. Interestingly, this area is just a stone’s throw away from the centre of power (Civil Secretariat) of both Punjab and Haryana. Not that the HC and the UT Secretariat are far away from what has come to be known as a “syndicate’s paradise”.

Not only illegal construction, grabbing of the prime land and much more has also been a routine in this area, which today houses who’s who from different spheres of the society. Call it their helplessness or being hand in glove with those at the helm, the authorities concerned turn a blind eye to the illegal activity.

With the High Courts of Delhi and Punjab and Haryana raising concerns over the situation, it is high time that enforcement agencies act tough against law-breakers so that the catchment area is cleared of all obstructions and water is allowed to flow freely into the lake.