Firm fined Rs 10 cr for Katas Raj pond damage

Islamabad, November 19 

Pakistan’s Supreme Court today ordered a cement company to deposit Rs 10 crore into its dam fund for using underground water that lead to rapid drying up of the “sacred pond” at the Katas Raj temple complex — considered sacred by Hindus.

The SC started suo motu proceeding in November last year after media reported that extensive exploitation of underground water by cement factories located near the historic Katas Raj temple in Chakwal district of Punjab was drying up the “sacred pond”.

A three-member Bench headed by CJ Saqib Nisar already had banned the use of underground water by cement factories to save the pond. While in its hearing on Friday, the court also ordered authorities to refill the pond even by using water tankers.

Concluding the case today, the court ordered DG Khan Cement company to deposit Rs 10 crore into the Supreme Court Dam Fund, including Rs 8 crore as payment for water utilised and Rs 2 crore penalty for misleading the court. The CJ has set up a fund to crowd-fund construction of two dams. — PTI