Shillong, Aug 11: The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday directed the state to monitor all construction activities which are likely to affect the Umiam Lake.

In its order while hearing a PIL on the matter, the full bench said though it appears that steps have been taken to clean the Barapani waters and remove the floating garbage along the edge of the water, several new construction projects have been noticed around the lake.

There is a new café which has come up on the eastern side, close to a car showroom. There is construction coming up on an industrial basis on the same side a few 100 metres down the road. There is also another construction on the northern side and close to the water level near Umiam.

“It is hoped that all construction activities which have a likelihood of affecting the Umiam waters are monitored and it is ensured that construction is taken up and to such extent as would be permissible in accordance with law upon undertaking an environmental impact assessment thereof,” the bench said.

It has also directed the state to report on the ongoing construction works around the Umiam Lake, including the newly finished cafe referred to above and any other project in the pipeline for which any permission may have been sought or granted.

The bench said that as far as the cleanliness of the lake is concerned, it is hoped that the measures recently taken are continued on a periodic basis and both the locals and the tourists made aware by putting up appropriate signboards and ensuring that there is no littering or dumping of any material into the water.

“Volunteers or the like, preferably from the local areas, may be engaged for such purpose upon payment of some form of honorarium,” it said while directing the state to file an affidavit dealing with the matters in today’s order within three weeks.

The next hearing will be held on September 12.