Comments on SWM Interventions/Policies and for a Consultation on 9th April 2022 in response to directive from Karnataka High Court

Environment Support Group has been involved in initiating resilient and sustainable structural reforms in waste management through field, policy and legal interventions for over two decades now.  Our work, primarily based out of Bangalore metropolitan area (14 million) and Karnataka State, is in coordination with similar efforts nationwide. We work closely with trade unions advancing labour, occupational and health rights of those handling waste, and we also work with vulnerable communities suffering serious contamination due to waste disposal, to ensure their Rights to Health, Clean Environment, Life and Livelihoods is upheld.

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Building Environmental Jurisprudence to Reclaim Lakes as Commons for Posterity: Compilation of ESG Lake Work

Collated here are petitions, affidavits, memos and notes filed by ESG to protect lakes of Karnataka before Karnataka High Court (WP 817/2008 & WP 38401/2014) and Supreme Court of India (Civil Appeal 17166/2013). You will also find here judicial orders, reports and laws that are an outcome of this ongoing effort. This section will be updated frequently.

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A New Chapter in Decentralised Governance of Lakes of Karnataka: Principal Bench of Karnataka High Court directs the State to constitute District Lake Protection Committees in Environment Support Group v. State of Karnataka (WP No. 817 of 2008)

On 15 June 2021, the Principal Bench of the Karnataka High Court headed by Chief Justice Abhay Oka pronounced an order that will significantly change lake governance across Karnataka state, in rural and urban areas. This order will now pave the way for truly decentralised governance of lakes as commons, allowing the local public direct access to these Committees. The order was issued in response to an application made by Leo F. Saldanha, Coordinator of Environment Support Group, who sought modifications to the landmark 2012 judgment in ESG’s Lakes PIL Environment Support Group v. State of Karnataka (W.P. No. 817/2008), to strengthen lake governance from the ground up.

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Karnataka High Court directs Revenue Secretary to demonstrate compliance in ESG Lakes PIL

For almost two years now, Chief Justice Mr. Abhay Oka of the High Court of Karnataka has systematically developed jurisprudence to protect lakes as our commons, and for posterity. This is being achieved by his orders in a PIL filed by Citizens Action Group (CAG) PIL (WP 38401/2014). The jurisprudence reaffirms a schema for protecting and rehabilitating lakes based on their ground up monitoring, and for their rehabilitation through public involvement while ensuring regulatory oversight is transparent and accountable.

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Karnataka High Court Issues Notice In PIL Highlighting Egregious Biopiracy And Governmental Apathy

Meanwhile, Karnataka scandalously transfers prosecuting officers in biopiracy case 21 November 2012 Downloads: ESG Release: PIL on Biodiversity Loss and

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Public Interest Litigation In Karnataka High Court Challenging Callous Disregard For Biodiversity Protection

16 October 2012 Downloads: ESG Release: PIL on Biodiversity Loss and Biopiracy Release: 16 October 2012: Bangalore Public Interest Litigation

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Karnataka High Court Committee Strongly Discourages “commercial” Involvement In Lake Management And Rejuvenation

ESG’s PIL is basis for this proposal 2 November 2011 Downloads: Press Release on Justice Patil Report on Privatisation of

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Jairam Ramesh Rebuts Sharad Pawar’s Stand Centre Has No Role In Reviewing GEAC Decision On Bt Brinjal Reasserts Right To Hold Public Consultations On Bt Brinjal Issue

21 January 2010 Downloads: press-release-ramesh-letter-pawar-gmo-21.pdf This morning a small report appeared in the Deccan Herald with the title: “Panel to

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