New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre and the state governments on a plea seeking direction to preserve wetland and ban any construction in and around it.
An Apex Court bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha also asked the Centre and states to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for all new constructions for residential and commercial purposes.
Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioner MK Balakrishnan, submitted that one-third of India's wetland has already been wiped out, 38 per cent of which was depleted in the last 10 years.
"In nearly every state including Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala, massive development, dumping of waste and lack of conservation has threatened some of the finest wetlands of the country," the petition said.
"Wetlands cover 7 per cent of the earth surface and deliver 45 per cent of its natural ecosystem and productivity services,” it added.
