Agencies

It rapped the Buldhana district collector and the Lonar Municipal Council for their "callous and indifferent attitude" in preserving and protecting the lake and its surrounding area.The situation at the Lonar crater lake, the colour of which has turned pink, is bad and pathetic, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has said.

It rapped the Buldhana district collector and the Lonar Municipal Council for their �callous and indifferent attitude� in preserving and protecting the lake and its surrounding area.The oval-shaped Lonar lake, formed after a meteorite hit the Earth some 50,000 years ago, is a popular tourist hub located in Maharashtra�s Buldhana district.

The colour of the lake water recently turned pink, which has not only surprised locals, but also nature enthusiasts and scientists.A division bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and Anil Kilor was on Monday hearing a petition filed by one Kirti Nipankar, raising concern over the change in the lake colour.

The court said it is the fundamental duty of all citizens to protect, preserve and improve this unique water body, a natural wonder, and encourage and promote world-class scientific research of the lake, its properties, life present in it and the entire geology of the area.

Last month, the high court directed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to submit an environmental impact assessment report on the lake.

The HC had also issued other directions, including inspection by a court-appointed committee and an order to Buldhana collector and the Lonar Municipal Council�s chief officer to ensure preservation of the area around the lake.