The Uttarakhand High Court has expressed displeasure over the non-submission of progress reports by district magistrates on plastic ban and the disposal of plastic waste.
The court also asked the state government to furnish details about the steps taken by it for disposal of waste spread during the 'Kanwar yatra'.
A division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice RC Khulbe admonished district authorities for not complying with its earlier order on disposal of plastic waste.
It directed the state pollution control board to conduct an environmental investigation of all 30 peaks which have been opened for mountaineers in the state.
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The court has also issued a show-cause notice to Haldwani's Municipal Commissioner asking him to explain the littering of garbage on the Mandi bypass road and directed him to appear before it in person on August 28.
The high court expressed its displeasure over these issues while hearing a PIL on Wednesday which said rules for disposal of plastic waste were not being followed anywhere in the state.
In 2018, the Centre had come out with Plastic Waste Management Rules, in which the producers, transporters and sellers were given the responsibility to take back as much empty plastic as they sell, the PIL said.
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The rules further dictated that if the manufacturers fail to take back the fixed amount of plastic, then they must provide funds to the municipal body concerned for proper disposal of plastic waste.
These rules have been flouted by the plastic manufacturers which has led to heaps of plastic waste in hilly areas, it said.
Earlier, the court had directed the district magistrates of all the 13 districts of the state to file a progress report on disposal of plastic waste and garbage in an orderly manner.
-With PTI Input
