The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has mandated a joint ground inspection of the Irai and Zarpat rivers in Chandrapur district. This decision follows conflicting claims regarding the execution of river-deepening projects in the area. The court’s order aims to clarify the situation surrounding these ongoing works.
The direction came on Wednesday during the hearing of a public interest litigation of 2022. The collector has been directed to give 48 hours’ notice before the inspection. A report of the findings will have to be incorporated into a fresh affidavit before the next hearing on Oct 21. In an earlier 2024 order, the court had noted eight short-term measures, while feasibility studies were underway for longer-term interventions, including pumping water into Wardha river.
The court, comprising Justices Anil S Kilor and Rajnish R Vyas, said the dispute could not be settled merely through affidavits. The inspection will be conducted jointly by representatives of the petitioners, Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) and officials from Chandrapur collector’s office. The dispute centres on measures proposed to address water-management issues involving the two rivers. The field inspection is expected to provide an independently verifiable account of the work undertaken and help the court assess the competing claims.