Supreme Court orders physical verification of wetlands across states

The Supreme Court has directed states and authorities to physically verify and demarcate wetlands, observing that unprotected water bodies threaten interests protected under the right to life. The court granted four months for the exercise in a public interest litigation case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that courts cannot remain unmindful when precious water bodies remain unprotected, directing all states and authorities to undertake physical ground-truthing and demarcation of wetlands.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi said water bodies, being a source of drinking water, are precious and fall within the ambit of the right to life guaranteed under the Constitution.

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“This Court cannot remain a mere spectator or be unmindful of the consequences flowing from water bodies remaining unprotected,” the bench said.

To achieve this objective, the court reiterated its directions to states and Wetland Authorities to undertake physical ground-truthing of water bodies, if not already done, and file a compliance affidavit detailing the mode and method adopted for the exercise.

The court initially said the affidavits should be filed within four weeks.

“ Shekhar Naphade, senior counsel, has vociferously contended that undertaking the exercise of ground-truthing by officials would be a time-consuming exercise and has prayed for a reasonable period of six to nine months,” it said.

The bench said it was conscious of the extensive physical work involved and the need for coordination between departments.

“Yet, being alive to the situation, we deem it proper to grant four months’ time to complete the said exercise,” the bench said.

The Supreme Court said that even nine years after the publication of the Rules, ground-truthing and demarcation had not been completed.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by bird enthusiast Anand Arya, advocate M K Balakrishnan and NGO Vanashakti.