HC asks DM to shut down polythene and plastic industry

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

The High Court of Uttarakhand has directed the state government to shut down polythene and plastic manufacturing related industries in the state. The high court issued this and other directions with all the district magistrates of the state barring the DM of Dehradun appearing before it in Nainital on Friday regarding 26 points related to Ganga river conservation and polythene eradication progress report. Hearing on the case, the High Court directed the state to conduct stringent checking for polythene along the state borders and to set up units for destroying plastic bottles and other polythene items at places with 3,000 population. The high court has also directed the central water resources ministry to form the Ganga management board within a period of four weeks.

It will be recalled that Haridwar resident advocate Lalit Miglani had filed a public interest litigation in the high court seeking measures for ridding the Ganga river of pollution. Taking serious cognisance of the case, the high court had earlier issued orders to the district magistrates and state government for banning polythene in the state. In absence of observance of the court orders, the petitioner had submitted an appeal in the high court. Expressing dissatisfaction at the state of affairs, the court had summoned all the district magistrates with progress report on Friday. In response, all the DMs barring the Dehradun DM appeared along with officials concerned of the Central and State pollution control boards, secretary of Namami Gange Mission and officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in the high court. During the hearing, an appeal was submitted regarding relaxation to the chief secretary and Dehradun DM from appearance on which the court expressed dissatisfaction. The high court also directed that one thousand new toilets be constructed at Rishikesh, Haridwar and Gangotri. Hearing the case, the high court division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singh told all the district magistrates to contribute towards making the state free of plastic and polythene.