Tripura High Court Seeks Report on Rudrasagar Lake for Preservation

Agartala, January 19, 2020:

The Tripura High Court has sought a status report on the water level of Rudrasagar lake for its preservation.

While hearing a PIL filed by the Court on its own motion, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Akil A Kureshi and Justice Arindam Lodh directed the Amicus Curiae, Indrajit Chakraborty to give a status report on the water level of Rudrasagar Lake.

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In 2019, the Court had suggested that the depth of the water body must be increased upto 11 meters. However, in its order, the Bench said, “There are general reports of the water level in the lake being rather deteriorated. We would, therefore, request advocate Mr I. Chakraborty, who is assisting the Court as an Amicus Curiae and who also has agriculture science background, to visit the site and make an on-spot report before the Court on the next date of hearing”.

Superintending Engineer, Water Resource, Nirad Sharma informed the Court that the water level at Rudrasagar lake is presently RL 9.08 meters.

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It may be mentioned here that recently, the movement of local farmers to have water released from the Rudrasagar Lake has put the state government in a tight spot. It was in 1960 that a decision was taken to have agriculture around the lake, along with fishing.

The agricultural land was distributed among 600 families but it was not a permanent decision. In the past few decades, the water of the lake has degraded with water being pumped off to assist paddy cultivation after every rainy season.

It is pointed out that before 1950, the lake area was stated to be more than 2008 acres. In 1975, it came down to 682.92 acres and in 1995, this was further reduced to 375 acres. Presently, it is stated to be in the vicinity of 366 acres.

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“A permanent mechanism has to be put in place so that the water body in question which is an important ecosystem and which also carries considerable significance for tourism and fishing activities is properly maintained and does not fall prey to neglect or vested interests”, the Court observed.

The matter has been posted for hearing on January 27 next. Notably, the only palace of its kind in the whole eastern region, Neermahal was built by the Martin and Burn Company way back in 1930 in the centre of the 5.3 sq km Rudrasagar lake. It served as the summer resort of the erstwhile King Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur and still draws thousands of visitors every year despite the poor condition of the lake which became shallow because of heavy deposit of silt.

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