A committee has been constituted in the HC — which will be headed by its Registrar General Dinesh Kumar Sharma — to examine the working branches and courts, and identify sources of waste generation (including liquid and solid waste) as well as pollution. (Express photo: Ravi Kanojia/File)
Emphasising on the need to preserve the environment, Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal Thursday said immediate steps need to be taken to minimise plastic utilisation, especially single-use plastic items including pens and other stationery items, in courts. The judge also issued an administrative order, directing the high court and all district courts in the capital to take immediate steps to replace plastic items.
“Global concerns of environment degradation, as well as those of pollution and waste management in Delhi, render it imperative that immediate steps are taken to reduce the carbon footprints of all our actions and reduce contribution to waste generation in Delhi and the courts,” the order said.
It said a direction shall be issued by the Registrar General of the High Court to all its branches and district courts. “In case there are stocks available of such items, after their utilisation, they shall not be replaced with single use plastic items, unless they are irreplaceable. In case of any difficulty, the same be immediately brought to notice,” said the order.
A committee has been constituted in the HC — which will be headed by its Registrar General Dinesh Kumar Sharma — to examine the working branches and courts, and identify sources of waste generation (including liquid and solid waste) as well as pollution. “The committee shall urgently examine and suggest measures for reduction of waste in courts,” the order said, adding that a direction has been issued to all district judges to identify a team of three judges who are interested in working on issues related to the environment.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Justice Mittal had called for planting more trees and doing away with the use of plastic. She had called upon the younger generation to participate in tree plantation and nurture them not only for themselves, but for a “better future for the coming generation”.