Manchar Lake contamination case: Federal finance, planning secretaries issued show-cause notices

SC demands explanation for non-compliance, warns of contempt of court charges

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) issued on Thursday notices to the secretaries of the federal finance and planning, development and reforms departments to personally appear on September 1 to explain why action should not be taken against them for not complying with the court's orders in the Manchar Lake contamination case.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, also cautioned both the officers that they will be indicted for contempt of court if their replies were deemed unsatisfactory.

The bench, which also comprised justices Mushir Alam and Khilji Arif Hussain, was hearing a human rights case relating to growing contamination in Manchar Lake, the largest freshwater reservoir in the country.

Earlier, the bench expressed its displeasure over the failure of the federal authorities to issue funds for the completion of the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) project in compliance with the court's earlier directives. The RBOD is a canal designed to reduce salinity in the lake, which is believed to be the largest freshwater reservoir in Asia.

The apex court had previously ordered the finance and planning ministries to ensure the required funds for the completion of the RBOD-I and RBOD-III were released to complete the project in order to control contamination in the lake.

On Thursday, provincial chief secretary Siddique Memon, along with the general-manager of the RBOD project, appeared in court. They informed the bench that the projects could not be completed as the federal authorities had not released the required funds.

Taking serious exception to the conduct of the authorities towards implementation of the court's directives, the bench issued notices to the finance and planning secretaries to personally appear on September 1 with written statements to show-cause as to why action should not be taken against them for their non-compliance.

The bench made it clear that contempt of court charges will be framed against both the officers if their replies were not found satisfactory.

Missing treatment plants

The proceedings took an interesting turn when the residents of areas near Manchar Lake claimed that the court's orders for installation of water treatment plants had also not been complied with.

The residents informed the judges that the court had ordered the installation of such plants to ensure toxic waste was discharged into the lake after proper treatment, so that it would not kill aquatic life and poison the drinking water.

The irrigation secretary, however, refuted their claims and informed the bench that water treatment plants had been installed there in compliance with the court's orders.

Justice Muslim asked the secretary to refrain from showing a false picture to the court. He was also directed to file a statement on the current status of the installation of plants by the next date of the hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2016.