In a strong rebuke to municipal and state authorities, the Chhattisgarh High Court on Tuesday expressed grave concern over alarming civic issues plaguing Bilaspur city and surrounding areas, including the death of over two dozen tortoises at a temple pond, deteriorating Smart City infrastructure, and poor sanitation in residential colonies.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal took suo moto cognizance of multiple news reports published in prominent Hindi dailies — Navbharat, Haribhoomi, and Dainik Bhaskar — under the Public Interest Litigation titled WPPIL No. 39 of 2025. The court initiated proceedings under its constitutional mandate to protect the right to life and clean environment.
Background of the Case
The suo moto PIL stems from three distinct civic issues highlighted by media reports on March 26, 2025:
- Unhygienic Conditions in Shubham Vihar, Wards 14 and 15, Bilaspur:
Streets flooded with foul-smelling, stagnant water due to choked drains and sewer lines, raising fears of a dengue outbreak. - Mass Death of Tortoises at Mahamaya Temple Pond, Ratanpur:
Approximately two dozen tortoises died after being trapped in a fishing net allegedly placed to illegally catch fish. Despite CCTV surveillance and a control room, the incident went unnoticed, triggering concerns over the temple’s environmental safety. - Failed Smart City Infrastructure:
Specially designed divyang-friendly footpaths were found broken, encroached, and unusable even by ordinary pedestrians. The court noted that Rs. 40 crores had been spent under the Smart City project, but footpaths, cycle tracks, and beautified areas had fallen into neglect.
Key Legal Issues
- Failure of Public Authorities in Ensuring Sanitation and Public Health
- Violation of Environmental Protection Laws Including Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
- Neglect in Maintenance of Public Infrastructure Despite Budgetary Allocations
- Right to Life and Dignity Under Article 21 of the Constitution
Observations of the Court
In a scathing observation, the Division Bench questioned the apathy of responsible authorities:
“Why do they keep their eyes shut and do not take care of the situation which are reported in the print media having wide circulation as well as the electronic and social media?”
The Bench remarked that the published photographs depict a “very pathetic situation” and that no heed is being paid to the grievances of the public despite repeated complaints.
On the Smart City project, the court noted that:
“The entire news report shows a very grim picture of the Bilaspur city when it is a declared Smart City.”
Regarding the temple incident, the court took serious note of the wildlife offence:
“Despite CCTV surveillance, some person reached to the pond with fishing net… instead of fishes, the tortoise got trapped and died which raises a question mark on the security of the temple area.”
Court Directions
The Court directed the Collector, Bilaspur and the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Bilaspur to submit personal affidavits explaining:
- Their inaction on widely reported issues
- Steps taken post-publication of the news articles
Additionally, the matter was directed to be tagged with WPPIL No. 39 of 2024, another ongoing PIL on sanitation, and will be heard next on April 9, 2025.
