The Supreme Court of India has raised serious concerns about the dumping of plastic waste, which is causing significant environmental damage and harming aquatic life in the country’s rivers and water bodies. This issue came to light during a case about illegal construction and unauthorized encroachments near the Ganga River in Patna City.
A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti was reviewing a case involving illegal constructions near the Ganga. During their discussions, they discovered that plastic waste is widely used in areas that should be free from pollution. The court emphasized that plastic pollution is degrading the environment and impacting aquatic life along riverbanks and water bodies.
Need for Collective Effort
The court highlighted the need for a collective effort by authorities and the public to address this issue. They stated that without such cooperation, efforts to improve the quality of water in the Ganga and other rivers will be in vain. The court has requested an affidavit from the Central Government within four weeks, addressing the environmental concerns raised in this order.
The case originated from an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2020, based on a complaint by Ashok Kumar Sinha, a resident of Patna. Sinha raised concerns about massive illegal constructions, including colonies, brick kilns, and a 1.5 km road built by the Bihar government on the eco-sensitive floodplains of the Ganga in Patna. This area is known to be one of the richest habitats for dolphins in the subcontinent.
Environmental Concerns
The court noted that groundwater in areas adjacent to the Ganga in Patna contains high levels of arsenic, making the purity and ecological integrity of the river crucial for the survival of Patna’s 550,000 residents. The appeal highlighted violations of the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection & Management) Authorities Order, 2016, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Akash Vashishtha, the advocate for the appellant, argued that illegal constructions between Nauzer Ghat and Nurpur Ghat threaten one of the richest dolphin habitats. He stressed the need for action against these encroachments. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has asked all Ganga basin states to identify and remove illegal constructions on floodplains and to demarcate these areas.
Advocate represented the State of Bihar, while Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appeared for the Union of India and NMCG. The Supreme Court’s intervention aims to ensure that the environmental integrity of the Ganga and other rivers is preserved for the benefit of both the ecosystem and the local population.
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