The Delhi High Court has directed its Rules Committee to consider the adoption of double-sided printing norm for all pleadings in order to save paper..The direction was passed by the Bench comprising the Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice C Harishankar in a public interest litigation filed by Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change..The Committee would take a decision on changing its rules to allow double-sided printing of all pleadings within eight weeks, as directed by the Court..The petition was filed to protect the environment as well as the right to healthy living and clean environment, which is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution..It was the petitioner’s case that modern printing techniques did not warrant the continuation of a format that was best suited for earlier times when typewriters were used. Double-sided printing was not feasible earlier as the paper was thin which left printing marks. However, this problem does not exist today due to efficient printing devices and better paper..The petitioner submitted that the use of one-sided paper, with double-spaced typing and wide margins, results in huge paper consumption. Use of 1.5 line spacing instead of 2 also saves up to 25 percent of paper, it was claimed..The petitioner relied on reports to cite that approximately 10 liters of water is consumed to create a piece of paper, while for production of 8333.3 sheets of virgin paper one tree is cut..The Petitioner also raised an alarm against the subsequent waste that is generated from the excessive use of paper..Putting things in perspective, the petitioner stated that a total of 5887 fresh cases were filed before the High Court in the last month alone which would have used a minimum of 17,66,100 papers for printing at least 6 sets of files..“Using double-sided prints would have saved approximately 1060 trees with respect to fresh filing in one month alone. Similarly, approx. 8830500 liters of water would have been saved had 883050 papers had not been used.”.Similarly, for the 43,065 fresh cases filed before the Delhi District Courts in the last one month, using double-sided prints would have saved approx. 2352 trees..The High Court of Madhya Pradesh amended its Rules in December 2016 to allow the filing of double-sided prints..The petitioner had also sought a direction to the Union Ministry of Law & Justice to issue an advisory regarding using double-sided pages in all court. However, no specific order was passed in that regard..The petition was filed through Advocate Gaurav Pathak. The petitioner was represented by Advocate Virag Gupta..Read petition below:
The Delhi High Court has directed its Rules Committee to consider the adoption of double-sided printing norm for all pleadings in order to save paper..The direction was passed by the Bench comprising the Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice C Harishankar in a public interest litigation filed by Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change..The Committee would take a decision on changing its rules to allow double-sided printing of all pleadings within eight weeks, as directed by the Court..The petition was filed to protect the environment as well as the right to healthy living and clean environment, which is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution..It was the petitioner’s case that modern printing techniques did not warrant the continuation of a format that was best suited for earlier times when typewriters were used. Double-sided printing was not feasible earlier as the paper was thin which left printing marks. However, this problem does not exist today due to efficient printing devices and better paper..The petitioner submitted that the use of one-sided paper, with double-spaced typing and wide margins, results in huge paper consumption. Use of 1.5 line spacing instead of 2 also saves up to 25 percent of paper, it was claimed..The petitioner relied on reports to cite that approximately 10 liters of water is consumed to create a piece of paper, while for production of 8333.3 sheets of virgin paper one tree is cut..The Petitioner also raised an alarm against the subsequent waste that is generated from the excessive use of paper..Putting things in perspective, the petitioner stated that a total of 5887 fresh cases were filed before the High Court in the last month alone which would have used a minimum of 17,66,100 papers for printing at least 6 sets of files..“Using double-sided prints would have saved approximately 1060 trees with respect to fresh filing in one month alone. Similarly, approx. 8830500 liters of water would have been saved had 883050 papers had not been used.”.Similarly, for the 43,065 fresh cases filed before the Delhi District Courts in the last one month, using double-sided prints would have saved approx. 2352 trees..The High Court of Madhya Pradesh amended its Rules in December 2016 to allow the filing of double-sided prints..The petitioner had also sought a direction to the Union Ministry of Law & Justice to issue an advisory regarding using double-sided pages in all court. However, no specific order was passed in that regard..The petition was filed through Advocate Gaurav Pathak. The petitioner was represented by Advocate Virag Gupta..Read petition below:
