Question map
In March 2017, a High Court in India had accorded the status of living human entities to which two of the following rivers ?
Explanation
In March 2017, the High Court of Uttarakhand, in the case of Mohd. Salim v. State of Uttarakhand, declared the Ganga and Yamuna rivers as 'living human entities' or 'juristic persons' [1]. This landmark ruling accorded these rivers all corresponding rights, duties, and liabilities of a living person to ensure their preservation and conservation. The court noted that these rivers were losing their existence due to extreme pollution and required extraordinary measures. The Chief Secretary and Advocate General of Uttarakhand were appointed as legal custodians to act on the rivers' behalf. However, the state government challenged this status in the Supreme Court, arguing it was legally unsustainable and impractical due to potential liabilities for flooding or accidents. Consequently, in July 2017, the Supreme Court of India stayed and eventually overturned the High Court's decision [1].
Sources
- [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-40537701