Joint Committee report on Sambhar lake encroachment, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 07/02/2023
Joint committee report to the National Green Tribunal order (Original Application 94 of 2022) dated 07/12/2022.
The matter related to encroachment within the area of Sambhar lake and use of unauthorised borewells by a large number of unauthorized persons.
The committee recommended that the Department of Environment shall refine and validate the map prepared by the State Remote Sensing Application Centre (SRSAC), Jodhpur in 1990 in coordination with Survey of India.
The revenue department shall expedite the matter of settlement of land disputes along with Sambhar Salts Limited by preparing and digitizing the map for sambhar lake boundaries. Further, the Department of Environment and Sambhar Wetland Agency shall implement the Wetlands Rules 2017 provisions dealing with prohibited activities.
Sambhar Lake Management Agency in coordination with Central Ground Water Authority shall carry out a detailed survey of the groundwater extraction and impose heavy environmental compensation. In addition the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and Central Ground Water Authority shall assess the environmental compensation on the salt refineries extracting groundwater without NOC of the Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA).
Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board was asked to explore the options to have in place a system to track the disposal of waste by the refineries. Another recommendation given by the committee was regarding a scheme for rehabilitation of the people around Sambhar Lake by giving them alternative and more lucrative work.
The report was uploaded to the NGT site, February 7, 2023.