Pollution causing significant environmental degradation, harming aquatic life: SC
The court said any attempts to address illegal constructions and improve water quality in rivers, including the Ganga, will remain “illusory” without a unified effort
The Supreme Court has voiced serious concerns over the unchecked dumping of plastic and other waste materials into water bodies, warning that this pollution is causing significant environmental degradation and harming aquatic life.
A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti emphasised that without a unified effort from authorities and the cooperation of the public, any attempts to address illegal constructions and improve water quality in rivers, including the Ganga, will remain “illusory.”
“The dumping of plastic is causing serious environmental degradation and also impacting aquatic life in the riverbanks and the water bodies in the country. Unless a concerted effort is made by the responsible authorities with people’s cooperation, irrespective of the efforts to target illegal/unauthorized constructions, the desired improvement of the quality of the water in River Ganga/all other rivers and water bodies in the country will remain illusory,” said the bench in its August 2 order.
The court granted additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the Union of India and National Mission for Clean Ganga, four weeks to file an affidavit addressing the environmental concerns outlined in the order.
The court instructed Bihar, represented through advocate Azmat Hayat Amanullah, to submit an affidavit within the same time frame, detailing the steps taken to address unauthorised constructions along the Ganga in and around Patna.
The directive was issued after advocate Akash Vashishtha, appearing for petitioner Ashok Kumar Sinha, highlighted the problem of indiscriminate dumping of plastic in the Ganga and other water bodies. Vashishtha urged the bench to protect India’s natural resources from the threats of plastic pollution and unauthorised construction, which continue to endanger the water bodies.
The Supreme Court order follows a directive issued on December 1, 2023, asking the Bihar government to identify and remove unauthorised constructions adjacent to the Ganga. The state reported it had identified 213 such illegal constructions, and efforts were underway to remove them.
On August 2, the Bihar government requested a clarification of the 2023 order, which held that “no further construction” will take place adjacent to the river Ganga, particularly in and around Patna.
Bhati and Amanullah pointed out that the original wording of the court’s 2023 order might be misconstrued because it did not clarify that only unauthorised and illegal constructions were being condemned.
The bench accepted the plea. “The state shall ensure no further illegal construction or unauthorised encroachment takes place adjacent to the river Ganga, particularly in and around the City of Patna.” The bench expanded the scope of Sinha’s petition amid growing concern over the environmental health of rivers and water bodies and sought detailed affidavits from the Union government and the state.