The Bombay High Court has directed the restructuring of the committee tasked with addressing pollution in the Ulhas River. The court has instructed that environmental and engineering experts be included to strengthen the panel’s effectiveness.
The bench, comprising Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mistry, emphasized that the Badlapur Municipal Council must prevent untreated sewage from entering the river and ensure existing pollution is controlled. The court also urged proactive monitoring and timely action by local authorities.
In its observations, the court noted that rapid urban development in the municipal area, including illegal construction, has led to untreated sewage from buildings and inadequate drainage systems entering the river. Earlier, the court had prohibited local bodies from issuing occupancy certificates to buildings that do not comply with construction and wastewater management norms.
The High Court expressed dissatisfaction over delays in the committee’s reporting and instructed that specialists be added to improve monitoring and enforcement. This step aims to address ongoing environmental concerns as sewage discharge continues to harm communities and ecosystems along the Ulhas River.
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