Joint committee report on Sambhar lake encroachment, Jaipur district, Rajasthan, 22/03/2023
Joint Committee report in the Original Application 94 of 2022 in compliance to the NGT order, December 7, 2022.
The matter related to encroachment within the area of Sambhar lake encroachment and use of unauthorized bore wells.
The joint committee recommended that the revenue department should expedite the matter of settlement of land disputes along with Sambhar Salts Limited by preparing and digitizing the map for sambhar lake boundaries. Sambhar Lake Management Agency in coordination with Central Ground Water Authority should carry out a detailed survey of the groundwater extraction and impose heavy environmental compensation as per the notification of Ministry of Jal Shakti S.O. 3289 (E) dated 24th September 2020.
In addition, the committee said that the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) should assess the environmental compensation on the salt refineries extracting groundwater without NOC of CGWA.
The Rajasthan government needs to strengthen the District Administration with required machinery and manpower to execute the activity for removal of large scale encroachment on the Sambhar lake area. Further, Sambhar Lake Management Agency should place 'Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera' with night vision on the boundaries to stop further borewell digging in the wetland area. Industries Department in coordination with Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board should regulate the salt refineries and salt producers in the area.
Another recommendation of the report was that the Municipal Council, Nawa should intercept, divert and treat the sewage draining in Sambhar Lake. Also, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board can explore the options to have in place a system to track the disposal of waste by the refineries Sambhar Salt Ltd.