The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state government to implement a central scheme, which seeks to keep all water bodies clean, in the right earnest. Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on Monday, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee said people living around these waterbodies should be made aware of the importance of keeping them clean.
"It is hoped that the project is taken up in right earnest and, for a start, all water-bodies are kept clean and people living around them made aware of the importance of keeping the water-bodies clean," the court said. In terms of the scheme, 75 waterbodies in every district with a minimum pondage area of one acre are to be rejuvenated, including the restoration of ecological and productive utility, the government told the court.
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The bench also directed the state government to report on the progress of the scheme in an affidavit. The court, however, said that as far as the Umiam Lake is concerned, the filth around it is visible. "Future efforts should be made to ensure that revellers are kept in check and appropriate disincentives are put in place to ensure that plastic, trash or other garbage are not willy nilly thrown into the waters," it said. The court will hear the matter next on July 26.
(With PTI Inputs)
