Supreme Court Seeks Government Response on Riverbed Encroachments

The Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre regarding unauthorised riverbed constructions. A plea by ex-IPS officer Dr. Ashok Kumar Raghav calls for demolishing such encroachments, citing devastating impacts. With references to water crises, the petition emphasizes immediate regulations for river conservation.

The Supreme Court has taken a firm stance on the issue of unauthorised constructions and encroachments on riverbeds across the nation, issuing notices to the central government and various environmental bodies. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has requested responses from the Environment Ministry, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Central Water Commission, and the Central Pollution Control Board within a three-week timeframe.

The plea, filed by former IPS officer Dr. Ashok Kumar Raghav, highlights the burgeoning illegal constructions on floodplains and catchments as a significant cause of environmental devastation. Represented by advocate Akash Vashishtha, the petition demands the demolition of unauthorised structures on riverbeds and the restoration of these areas to their natural state, citing the Composite Water Management Index by Niti Aayog and describing the situation as India's worst water crisis.

The petition also stresses the urgency of enacting the draft River Conservation Zone Regulation, which has been pending since 2015. It calls for swift implementation to provide legal protection to rivers and their tributaries, ensuring ecological security. The draft outlines the creation of River Conservation Zones to prevent further encroachments, crucial in safeguarding the country's water resources and ecological balance.

(With inputs from agencies.)