Rajasthan HC Fines Two Bureaucrats Rs 50K Each for Ignoring Lake Survey Order
The Rajasthan High Court has imposed a penalty of ₹50,000 each on two state bureaucrats for failing to comply with its directives concerning lake surveys mandated under the Rajasthan Lakes (Protection and Development) Authority Act, 2015.
Hearing a suo moto writ petition pending since 2016, the division bench of Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Chandra Shekhar Sharma on Friday expressed strong disapproval over continued non-compliance. The court noted that no substantial progress had been made in the district-wise survey of lakes and criticised the authorities for filing what it termed “half-baked affidavits.” In a previous order dated November 18, 2024, the High Court had granted a three-month deadline for completing a statewide survey to identify and notify lakes beyond the nine already recognised.
The bench had also directed state and district-level authorities to coordinate under the State Level Committee and ensure phased release of government funds for the survey. Despite these directives, no compliance affidavit or extension request was filed within the stipulated period. Taking serious note of the lapse, the court remarked, “This must be made known to the State authorities that the Court’s order must be complied within the stipulated time. Non-compliance shall be viewed very seriously, especially in matters involving public interest.”
The matter has now been schedued for further hearing on May 23, 2025.
