Girnar: Plastic is now entirely banned in 27 villages of Girnar and at the entry gates of the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), as informed by the government to the bench of Chief Justice Sunita Aggarwal and Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee of the Gujarat High Court today.

Advocate Amit Panchal, as a party in person, had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding pollution near the Ambaji temple and Dattatreya temple on Girnar hill. Responding to the last order of the High Court, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment filed an affidavit today. It states that on February 23, a meeting of the Gir Eco Center Sensitive Zone Monitoring Committee, led by the Junagadh Collector, implemented a complete ban on plastic in the Gir eco-sensitive zone.

Six teams have been formed for monitoring and action, with three teams stationed at Ambaji, Dattatreya, and Datar entry points, and three teams engaged in rotating patrolling. Each team comprises personnel from the forest department, police, panchayat, and JMC. Six sweepers will clean the steps from Ambaji to Dattatreya temple, supervised by a designated supervisor. Fifteen workers from the forest department will clean up to Datar. Under the Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Development Board, 15 workers will clean both new and old steps up to Ambaji Temple.

Water will be available only in glass bottles, clay bottles, and tins. The government removed the option for water in Tetra Pack bottles after objections about plastic. The court suggested creating awareness among the people, emphasizing the need for officers sensitive to the environment in the eco-sensitive zone. The court also observed plastic bottles scattered in the Kutch desert, suggesting the government address this issue. The court informed the government that a court commissioner would assess Girnar’s cleanliness shortly.

As Maha Shivratri approaches, more people will visit Girnar ESZ, where plastic is not permitted. The Gujarat Pavitra Yatradham Vikas Board will invite tenders from contractors for permanent cleaning, and a ban on plastic will be announced in Girnar ESZ.

The Girnar ESZ Monitoring Committee, which met 18 times from 2016 to 2023, faced criticism for not taking action on the plastic ban. The court ruled that officers unwilling to work in the ESZ should be transferred elsewhere, and the government should present an action plan. The court will hear further on this issue on March 20.