HIRALAL MOTILAL DESARDA Vs. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The submissions were heard in the afternoon on 27 th October 2016 which was the last working day before Diwali Vacation. We have perused the orders passed in this Public Interest Litigation from time to time. Today, the matter was listed for two purposes. One was for dealing with the challenge to the order dated 28 th January 2016 passed by the Chief Secretary of the State of Maharashtra. The second was to consider certain issues raised by the Petitioner appearing in person.

(2.) Essentially, this PIL was filed for inviting attention of the Court to the decision of the State Government of releasing water from Gangapur Dam Complex in the river Godavari for the purposes of Kumbhmela which was held in the year 2015. The contention raised in the Petition was that the said action was completely illegal.

(3.) The Petitioner is a Professor of Economics who is associated with Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics at Pune and is involved in several social projects. The Petitioner has been activist who has raised various issues concerning environment and water management.