The Supreme Court raised alarm about the disposal of plastic waste along riverbanks and in water bodies across the country. This issue highlights the growing environmental threat posed by plastic pollution. The Court emphasized the urgent need for effective waste management strategies to protect these vital ecosystems.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court raised concerns about the dumping of plastic waste along riverbanks and in water bodies across the country.
A Bench led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy while addressing a plea for the removal of illegal encroachments or constructions near the Ganga River in Patna, Bihar stated,
“There is extensive use of plastic in areas that should be protected from such pollution-causing materials. The disposal of plastic waste is leading to significant environmental degradation and harming aquatic life in the riverbanks and water bodies nationwide. Unless authorities, with the cooperation of the public, make a concerted effort, any attempt to address illegal or unauthorized constructions will not lead to the desired improvement in the water quality of the Ganga and other rivers and water bodies in the country,”
The Bench, which also included Justice SVN Bhatti, instructed the Union government, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and the Bihar government to submit an affidavit within four weeks addressing the issues raised in the appeal.
This affidavit should also cover the environmental concerns the Supreme Court highlighted regarding the dumping of plastic waste in riverbanks and water bodies.
The appeal, submitted by a resident of Patna, claimed that numerous residential buildings and houses in several floodplain areas are drilling borewells without the necessary permissions or approvals from the relevant authorities.
The Special Leave Petition drafted by advocate Akash Vashishtha stated,
“Over a massive 520 acres of ecologically sensitive Ganga floodplains, stretching from Nauzer Ghat to Nurpur Ghat in Patna, have been usurped,”
It added that state agencies, rather than acting against these illegal constructions and encroachments, were providing them with electricity connections.
In December of the previous year, the Supreme Court had ordered the Bihar government to ensure that no further construction occurs adjacent to the river Ganga, particularly in and around Patna.
The court ordered,
“The state shall report to this court the progress in removing the unauthorized structures by filing an affidavit. This affidavit shall be filed by the Chief Secretary of Bihar,”
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The Supreme Court noted in its order that the state government identified 213 unauthorized constructions adjacent to the river Ganga in and around Patna, and steps were being taken to remove these encroachments or constructions.
The court also clarified that measures would be implemented to ensure that no further illegal construction or unauthorized encroachment occurs adjacent to the river Ganga, especially in and around the city of Patna.