HC tells govt to show concrete action on river restoration

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh high court on Tuesday asked the state govt authorities to file fresh affidavits detailing concrete steps taken for the identification and revival of the Leelagar, Son, and Tipan rivers. The court noted that the mere formation of committees and holding of meetings constituted only a preliminary action and not substantive compliance with its earlier directives.The division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru was hearing a batch of public interest litigation (PIL) petitions of 2019, filed by petitioner-in-person Arvind Kumar Shukla and others.The court was presented with personal affidavits filed by the Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, Govt of Chhattisgarh, and the Collectors of Korba and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi districts.The Secretary's affidavit, filed on Dec 1, stated that the concerned Collectors were instructed to constitute sub-committees to identify the origin and suggest revival methods for the rivers Leelagar in Korba, and Son and Tipan in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi.The sub-committees, constituted vide orders dated 20 Nov and 21 Nov, include officials from the Revenue, Panchayat, Forest, Mining, Water Resources, and Municipal Council departments.The sub-committees were asked to submit their reports within a stipulated time for the development plan.The Collector of Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi also held a meeting of the Revival Committee on 22 Nov 2025, directing departmental officials to submit independent revival plans for the Son and Tipan rivers.The HC bench, after perusing the documents, observed that while the steps taken indicate the initiation of the compliance process, they only reflect preliminary action. The order sheet reads, "Mere constitution of committees and holding of meetings cannot be treated as substantial compliance unless concrete, time-bound revival plans are placed before this Court and implemented at the ground level."The court has directed the authorities concerned to file fresh affidavits specifically indicating the steps actually taken by the respective Collectors in furtherance of the revival and identification process.Additionally, the authorities must file the latest report regarding the status of land acquisition pertaining to the Arpa region.The court has listed the matters for the next hearing on 20 Jan 2026. On that date, the counsel for the petitioners, the Amicus Curiae, and the respondents may suggest names for inclusion in a broader committee. This new committee could potentially include professors from esteemed technical institutions, universities, environmentalists, and specialists in geology or related fields to work out a comprehensive plan for the conservation and revival of all rivers in the state.