Meghalaya HC orders intensive search for wetlands after Supreme Court directive

The High Court of Meghalaya has directed state authorities to conduct an "intensive identification drive" for wetlands and Ramsar sites throughout the state, following a nationwide Supreme Court initiative to preserve these critical ecosystems.

In a hearing on March 18, a division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh converted a Supreme Court referral into a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL No. 2 of 2025), aimed at ensuring proper maintenance of wetlands within the state.

The court was responding to a Supreme Court order dated December 11, 2024, which requested all High Courts to monitor the preservation of Ramsar Convention sites in their jurisdictions.

"Considering the fact that the order of the Supreme Court was made on 11th December, 2024, this exercise has to be made expeditiously," the bench noted in its order.

The case arose after the Member Secretary of the Meghalaya State Wetland Authority informed the court on February 14 that there were "no notified Ramsar sites in the State." However, during the hearing, Senior Government Advocate NG Shylla admitted that the state's inspection might not have been thorough.

"The entire body of wetlands or waterbodies may not have been inspected by the State," Shylla submitted, requesting an opportunity for authorities to conduct a more comprehensive survey.

The court granted six weeks for the State Government, in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Wetland Authority and the Chief Conservator of Forests, to complete the identification process and submit a report by April 29, 2025.

The bench also directed the Registrar General to appoint counsel to represent the High Court before the Supreme Court on March 25, when the related case (Writ Petition No. 304 of 2018 - Anand Arya v. Union of India) is scheduled for hearing.

The Supreme Court's nationwide initiative on wetland preservation dates back to 2001, when it first expressed concern over the identification and maintenance of these critical ecosystems in the MK Balakrishnan case.