Author: Rasmita Jena

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has warned that the health of millions of pilgrims visiting the Maha Kumbh fair could be at risk if sewage keeps flowing into the Ganga River in Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a big event that will last for 40 days, starting on January 14 and ending on February 26. Many people from around the world are expected to attend this festival.

The tribunal was looking into a complaint that 50 drains were dumping dirty sewage directly into the Ganga River along an eight-kilometer stretch from Rasulabad to the Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet. Earlier in September, the NGT created a high-powered committee to come up with solutions and report back by November 23.

On November 29, NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava pointed out that the committee had not submitted any report and hadn’t asked for more time to do so. The tribunal stressed that the pollution of the Ganga is urgent and must be addressed before the Kumbh Mela starts.

The NGT expressed concern that if no action is taken, the health of the millions of visitors could be harmed. It noted that the committee was expected to take this issue seriously. Although the UP state government’s lawyer asked for an extra 15 days to submit the report, the tribunal was not satisfied, especially since the report was supposedly already prepared.

In the end, the tribunal allowed the committee one week to file the report and reminded everyone involved about the need for quick action. The next hearing is scheduled for December 9. Previously, the tribunal had pointed out that the water quality in the area was not safe for drinking.

On Thursday, the Indian government told the Rajya Sabha that it does not plan to increase the retirement age for judges in the Supreme Court and high courts. The Law Minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal, explained that Supreme Court judges retire at 65 years, high court judges at 62, and district judges at 60.

There was a past attempt by the UPA 2 government to change the retirement age of high court judges to match that of Supreme Court judges, but that bill was never discussed and eventually lapsed.

During a Question Hour, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha raised concerns about retired judges taking on political roles, like becoming members of the Rajya Sabha or governors. He said this could lead to conflicts of interest and uncertainty about the independence of the judiciary. Chaddha proposed that there should be a cooling-off period of at least two years before any retired judge takes on a political or executive role, and he suggested that judges should receive better pensions to avoid financial dependency on post-retirement jobs.

In response, Law Minister Meghwal stated that Chaddha’s remarks were politically charged. He mentioned that judges are appointed based on a set process outlined in the Constitution and past Supreme Court rulings. Meghwal also noted that while a resolution was passed in a conference for increasing judges’ retirement age, there is currently no government proposal on this matter. He pointed out that the Prime Minister has not created any new tribunals for retired judges.