'Take concrete steps, instead of holding meeting': SC to Punjab, Haryana on flooding in villages

New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to take concrete steps instead of holding meetings in connection with the flooding in 25 villages due to overflowing of river Ghaggar.

A bench of Justices M.R. Shah and M.M. Sundresh said the common man is not interested in meeting, but interested in a solution. "Every state government should consider the public interest first above the politics," it said.

The bench noted that after its last orders in the matter, except two meetings of the Ghaggar Standing Committee, no concrete steps have been taken by the state governments on the recommendations made by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.

It directed the state governments to submit the proposed detailed project reports (DPR) to implement the recommendations made by CWPRS, in its final model study report.

Counsel representing Punjab and Haryana governments urged the apex court to grant four weeks time to prepare and submit the DPR on the implementation of the CWPRS recommendations and earlier orders passed by the court.

The bench noted that DPRs should be absolutely in tune with the recommendations of the CWPRS, and no state should deviate from the same.

It gave four weeks' time to submit the DPR and also the orders passed by the court and scheduled the matter for further hearing on January 3 next year.

The bench asked Chief Secretaries of both states present before it to take up the issue seriously and sincerely.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Nagar Panchayat Moonak and others in connection with over-flooding in Ghaggar Basin which was affecting 25 villages in Punjab and Haryana.

It, in August, had directed Punjab and Haryana governments to take measures recommended by the CWPRS to resolve the issue of flooding in 25 villages due to overflowing of the Ghaggar.