World Wetland Day brings PIL to Court:

On Monday, 2nd February 2009, World Wetlands Day, the High Court of Karnataka heard the final arguments in two important Public Interest Litigations.
One PIL initiated by Environment Support Group is against privatizations of lakes in Karnataka by the Lake Development Authority. In response to this PIL, the Government of Karnataka gave an undertaking that it would withdraw its policy of privatising lakes. The private parties who are beneficiaries of the policy, in particular East India Hotels (Oberoi group), Lumbini and Biota have voluntarily accepted not to move ahead with their plans to commercially develop these lakes. However, the Government and private parties wish to continue with the long term leases of the privatised lakes, which ESG have objected to as being illegal.
In this regard a landmark ruling of the Hon'ble High Court in a PIL filed against pollution and encroachment of lakes (PIL WP 1841/2006) and connected during Hearings on the issue of privatising lakes has held that the Karnataka Revenue Department (custodian of all lands in the State) will survey each and every lake in the State to determine its legal boundaries as a first step to removing encroachments and stopping pollution. The supervisory powers of this effort has been given to the Karnataka Legal Aid Services Committee.
The other PIL is about the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project, a subject of litigation and political conflict for over a decade now. The High Court is hearing a batch of connected PILs and Contempt Petitions relating to this project - with major issues being the allegedly excessive acquisition of lands unconnected to the project, destruction of about 20 lakes by developer M/s Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise around Bengaluru and serious violations of alignment of the expressways built around the city. Former Prime Minister Mr. Devegowda's book on the project along with his letter to Judges of the High Court on the issue have been taken suo moto as a PIL.