SC stays demolition of renovated ponds in Braj

New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the National Green Tribunal's order directing the demolition of water bodies in Uttar Pradesh's Braj, renovated by NGO Braj Foundation.

A vacation bench of Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar stayed the operation of the NGT order as senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the court that an order passed on a public interest plea could not be anti-public.

Telling the court that petitioner Braj Foundation was engaged in preserving and conserving the cultural and other heritage of Braj, the place associated with the childhood days of Lord Krishna, Singhvi said the NGT ordered the demolition of renovated ponds as it was done without following due procedure.

The court was told that the NGT order came after it came to know that heads of village panchayats allowed the renovation in their individual capacity without taking the matter before the village panchayat and seeking its approval.

Singhvi said "...the highest allegation against me (Braj Foundation) is that I did not follow the procedure while undertaking the renovation work", pointing out that any order passed in PIL could not be anti-public.