Stop enclosing papers otherwise available online to save nature: Uttarakhand HC to lawyers

Source:-https://www.newindianexpress.com

DEHRADUN: Concerned over excessive use of paper to enclose copies of laws, acts and orders, the Uttarakhand High court suggested that everyone should take efforts to save the environment.

A single bench of Justice Lok Pal Singh, who stated that small steps must be taken immediately in this regard, once again reminded advocates to avoid wastage of papers. “Annexing copies of the act, rules, gazette notifications and judgments passed by this court or the Supreme court not only bulks up the petition but also harms the ecology,”  said Justice Singh. 

“In my opinion, learned counsel for the petitioner has unnecessarily enclosed photocopies of the judgements along with the writ petition. These are otherwise available electronically and imposes financial burden on the litigants and causes great loss to environment.

The bench directed the registry to circulate a copy of this order to the office of the Bar Association and Bar  Council of Uttarakhand to apprise the lawyers that the lawyers may not annex the copy of the  Act, Rules, Gazette Notification, and Judgments with the petitions. 

The court also requested the office of the Chief Standing Counsel to accept only two copies of the writ petitions for all the parties for the State and not to insist the parties or litigants to submit more copies.

“Throughout the world, the imbalance of ecology is being considered as a great threat to future generations. We are losing the rivers and forests. The paper is the product of forest and as when we use it in an excessive manner sometimes for no reason, it ultimately damages the forest the environment,” said the court in the order. 

The certified copy of the order dated December 15, 2020, was made available later. The remarks came while hearing a writ petition.

Citing the Supreme Court’s direction on the filing of cases on A4 size papers and to use both sides of the paper, the order said that the ultimate purpose is to save the environment. 

Stating that we have reached an alarming position from where we cannot revive the environment and that the situation is getting worse with each passing day, the court said that we have to make joint efforts to save the environment. 

“The small steps to save the environment should be taken immediately. Otherwise, it will be too late to save the environment,” said the court.