HC issues notice to Govt on status of Mayapuri lake

The Delhi High Court has demanded an explanation from the Government on a petition filed by an NGO,Tapas,claiming that the Mayapuri lake,an 18,000 sq m area rich in aquifers (an underground layer of water bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials – gravel,sand,silt,or clay – from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well,is on its deathbed.

The PIL,filed by VK Jain of Tapas,is based on an RTI reply received from the PWD in 2008,denying the existence of the lake and claiming that the water body was never under its jurisdiction. The petition alleges that the PWD owned the lake till 2003.

According to the Delhi Government revenue records,the status of the lake has changed from “wet and clean lake” in 2003 to “does not exist” in 2009.

The case will come up for hearing on March 31.