Home / Crime and Justice / Pollution a Crime: HC Orders Probe into Drain Permissions
Pollution a Crime: HC Orders Probe into Drain Permissions
20 Feb
Summary
- Polluting public water and environment are criminal wrongs.
- Court demands investigation into panchayat officials granting permissions.
- Untreated sewage discharge into storm drains contaminates lakes.
The Karnataka High Court has affirmed that polluting public water and the environment are criminal offenses. In a recent directive, the court ordered a further investigation by police to identify panchayat officials who authorized the construction of a drain for discharging sewage into a Rajakaluve, a storm water drain linked to a government lake.
The court dismissed a plea by a resident welfare association seeking to quash criminal proceedings against its office bearers for constructing the drain. Justice Suraj Govindaraj highlighted that Sections 277 and 278 of the Indian Penal Code recognize environmental pollution as criminal wrongs.
These legal provisions underscore the legislative understanding that contaminating public water sources and degrading the environment warrant penal consequences. The court stressed that lakes are vital ecological lifelines for Bengaluru, crucial for groundwater recharge, public health, and ecological balance.
Discharging untreated sewage into water bodies constitutes a significant threat to public health and environmental integrity. The court reiterated that such actions are an affront to intergenerational equity, as these water resources are held in trust for future generations. Void permissions granted without authority cannot offer legal protection against environmental violations.
