Gujarat High Court for ban on disposable items over Girnar mountain

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court, in response to a PIL filed by advocate Amit Panchal concerning littering and unhygienic conditions around the temples on Girnar hills, suggested that state authorities consider prohibiting disposables and finding alternatives to plastic bottles for pilgrims.

The court, after reviewing a report from a court commissioner, underlined its concern regarding the extensive use of plastic. Chief Justice on Friday proposed a comprehensive ban on disposable items and recommended improving the availability of dustbins while providing water through taps, reducing the dependency on plastic bottles and paper cups for pilgrims.

The court made an observation, stating, “If you cannot ban plastic, you cannot stop people from throwing bottles. Here, people are not at all conscious about this.” It also noted that while stopping individuals from carrying water bottles might be impractical, there is a necessity for a strategy to minimize the use of plastic bottles.

The court has slated the next hearing for December 20, urging authorities to actively pursue resolutions for the issues of littering and the extensive use of plastic on Girnar hills. DeshGujarat