1 2025:CGHC:3385-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPPIL No. 13 of 2025 1 - In The Matter of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation Regarding To Protection of Ramsar Convention Sites (of Wetlands) ... Petitioner versus 1 - Union of India Through The Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Pt. Deendayal Antyoday Bhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 2 - State of Chhattisgarh, through Chief Secretary, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, Chhattisgarh 3 - State of Chhattisgarh, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Aranya Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, Chhattisgarh 4 - Members Secretary, Chhattisgarh State Wetland Authority, Atal Nagar Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh ... Respondents For Respondent No.1 : Mr. Ramakant Mishra, Deputy S.G. For State-Respondents : Mr. Prafull N. Bharat, Advocate General and Mr. Shashank Thakur, Deputy Advocate General. Division Bench Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge Judgment on Board Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice 20-01-2025 Digitally signed by MOHAMMAD AADIL KHAN 2 1. Learned Advocate General has pointed out that though the present WP(PIL) has been filed in pursuance of the order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the order has been passed by this Court for registering the same suo motu as WP(PIL), but it is stated that on perusal of the order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Writ Petition(s) (Civil) No(s). 230/2001 dated 03-04-2017 goes to show that it is with respect to wetland pertaining to Ramsar Convention sites and in the State of Chhattisgarh there is no such Ramsar Convention sites and pointed out that page 6 and 7 of the order dated 03-04-2017 goes to show that the copy could not have been forwarded to this Court as the name of this High Court is not mentioned in the order, the relevant part where the direction has been issued for sending photocopies of the affidavit filed by the Union of India by Dr. A. Duraisamy, Scientist ‘F’ and Member Secretary, Central Wetland Regulatory Authority to the High Courts are as under:- “Under the circumstances, we direct the Registry of this Court to make photocopies of the affidavit filed by the Union of India by Dr. A. Duraisamy, Scientist ‘F’ and Member Secretary, Central Wetland Regulatory Authority and send it to the following High Courts : High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Gauhati High Court, Gujarat High Court, Himachal Pradesh High Court, J&K High Court, Kerala High Court, Madhya Pradesh High 3 Court, Manipur High Court, Orissa High Court, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Rajasthan High Court, Madras High Court, Tripura High Court, Allahabad High Court and High Court at Calcutta. The Affidavit be sent to the Registrar General of all the aforementioned High Courts within two weeks from today. A copy of all the orders passed by this Court from 10th September, 2014 till today shall also be sent to the concerned High Courts along with the affidavit. We request Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court to treat the affidavit as a suo motu public interest petition and, if necessary, appoint an amicus to assist the court so as to ensure that the Ramsar Convention sites within their jurisdiction are property maintained.” 2. Since there is no Ramsar Convention Sites in the State of Chhattisgarh and the State of Chhattisgarh is not in the list of States to whom the affidavit filed by Union of India is forwarded and direction was issued to draw PIL for maintaining Ramsar Convention Sites, we deem it appropriate to close the proceeding of present PIL. 3. In view of the above, the present WP(PIL) is consigned to record. Sd/- Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice Aadil