Concerns over Nainital lake water ‘causing health issues’, High Court takes note

The bench of Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Alok Kumar Verma was hearing the plea of a hotel that was directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)  to pay Rs 1.82 lakh as environmental compensation.

The appellant claimed that the water from his hotel was not going to the lake, but it is directly going to the sewerage line of the municipality.

“The other issue, which the respondents will consult with the Jal Sansthan or the Pey Jal Nigam, is that the water of Nainital lake is so harsh that it is causing chronic (health) problems even to the children and people are losing their kidneys and what is the solution to these problems,” the bench said, mentioning that the counsel for the respondents seeks time to file a counter affidavit.

The court also appointed advocate Pradeep Lohani as amicus curiae in the matter and directed him to assist the court on the chronic problems suffered by the residents of Nainital district because of the harsh water of the lake.

Listing the case for December, the court granted relief to hoteliers who were penalised for allegedly releasing untreated wastewater into Naini lake and directed them to pay 10 per cent of the original penalty assessed before the Registry of the court.

Earlier this month, bearing in mind its environmental sensitivity of the area, the NGT ordered the classification of Nainital town on the lines of prohibited, regulated, and development zones. It has also directed the Uttarakhand government to evolve a mechanism for monitoring these zones by forming multi-district committees of officials, experts, and local representatives from different fields.

The Naini Lake, which is the focal point of Nainital’s tourism industry, serves as the main source of drinking water for the residents of Nainital. It provides fresh water to households and businesses in the town, especially during the summer months when the demand for water increases due to tourism. Though the lake’s primary use is  drinking water, it also indirectly supports small-scale irrigation in the surrounding areas.