Gujarat has to excel in everything because people from outside Gujarat have high expectations about the State: Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday told the State government that people from other States have "high expectations" about Gujarat and therefore, the State has no other option but to excel in everything [Amit Panchal vs State of Gujarat]..A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee said if the State isn't up to the mark then people from outside would be judgmental. "It's in Gujarat, you are expected to do this (be upto the mark). People from outside Gujarat expect you to do this. Otherwise, they would say it doesn't look like Gujarat. This is the approach of people coming outside Gujarat. They expect you to be upto the mark in everything. And if they find any litter they will say 'this isn't looking like Gujarat'. You have no option but to excel because of people's expectations," Chief Justice Agarwal observed. The observation was made after the Court noted that despite earlier order, the Collector of Junagad did not come up with any alternative mechanism for devotees visiting temples in the Girnar Hill region to dispose of plastic waste. Additional Government Pleader (AGP) K Antani informed the bench that plastic has been banned in the region by virtue of a Government Resolution. To this, the bench said that a ban would not be sufficient. "By banning plastic you won't be able to ban plastic use. You will have to give the public some alternative. Last time we asked you to work out something to provide alternative to plastic bottles but today we see nothing on record," the Chief Justice said. .The Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by advocate Amit Panchal who highlighted the poor facilities for sanitisation and disposal of both solid and liquid waste in the temples in the Girnar region.During the hearing, the Court emphasised that the Collector needs to be proactive and cannot leave this issue on the State government. It further stressed on the need to use alternatives to plastic bottles. "It isn't as if there is no alternative at all. In Gujarat itself, alternatives are being used properly in Gir area only and that is going on very well. They are using steel bottles. They have dispensers, which give steel bottles (to tourists) for drinking water. On their way back, they will have to return the bottles and they get their token deposit money," the Court explained. Further, the petitioner pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated Swachhata Abhiyan Mission and yet there is an issue of cleanliness in the region. "It isn't only this one scheme Mr Panchal. Every scheme is there but only what is needed is a will. If you have the will to do something you will get an alternative but if you don't have the will, you would not be able to find any alternative," the bench opined. With these observations, the bench granted a last opportunity to the Collector to come up with some alternatives to avoid use of plastic bottles in and around the temple region. The matter will be heard next on January 4.