Delhi HC orders to reduce use of plastic in courts

New Delhi: To highlight the need to save our environment from plastic, Delhi High Court Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal on Thursday said that immediate steps need to be taken to minimise plastic use, 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.

The Registrar General of the High Court shall supervise the new order 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.

For the overall directions of new order, a committee has been established by HC which will be directed by its Registrar General Dinesh Kumar Sharma. The committee will 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,

To make the order implementing district judge will prepare a team of three members of court who are interested in working on issues related to the environment.

On the occasion of World Environment day, Justic Mittal had called upon the younger generation for planting trees and appeal to make the environment green not only for themselves but also “better future for the coming generation”.