Dehradun, Sept 16: The Nainital High Court has termed as illegal the Uttar Pradesh government's claim to auction fish from six ponds in Uttaranchal. A Public Interest Litigation filed against the Uttar Pradesh government order for auction of fish from six ponds in Uttaranchal said that since water and land were state subjects, this did not carry any ground.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sarosh Kapadia and Justice Rajesh Tandon in its judgment yesterday said that five ponds ''totally lie '' in Uttaranchal which has the sole right for fishery in them.

However the sixth pond at Sharda Sagar is divided between Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh, so the auction of fish from it could be done by both the states, the court said in the order.

The funds submitted in UP Fisheries Corporation Bank should also be transferred to director, fishery department, Uttaranchal within three months, the order added.
Bureau Report