The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar on Tuesday (September 12) instructed the authorities—the court had directed the Archeological Survey of India to depute an official for the purpose—to rejuvenate the dry Purana Qila lake as soon as possible and preserve its bio diversity.

The official has to submit a detailed report on the same within four weeks.

The bench also directed that the authorities should immediately provide for a passage to carry the water collected through rainwater harvesting up to Tilak Bridge.

On Tuesday, the counsels for both applicant and respondent submitted their pleadings annexed with the current photographs of the present condition of the lake.

The counsel for the petitioner showed photographs clicked on Tuesday itself and said that though the old boats had been removed and moss is also reduced a bit but still there is still a long way to go.

The court observed from the photographs submitted that the concerned authorities have started the work of cleaning and of maintenance of the Purana Qila lake.

—India Legal Bureau