Punjab and Haryana High Court: Revive, preserve water bodies

Chandigarh, July 10

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed Haryana to revive, preserve, conserve and protect all water bodies in the state. Directions were issued to the state to ensure boosting of recharge mechanism.

The direction came on a petition by Jasbir and other petitioners versus Haryana and other respondents. The petitioners had, among other things, challenged directions to panchayats in Kurukshetra for replacement of paddy by other crops for checking depleting groundwater. Taking up the matter, the Bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu asserted that millions of cubic metres of groundwater were extracted annually for irrigation in India. Speaking for the Bench, Justice Sharma noted that there would be rapid desertification of fertile land, leading to dust storms blowing away the topsoil.

“We are extracting more water than is replenished. The steps taken for diversification of crops are laudable,” Justice Sharma added. — TNS