A group of students of a Pune law college has brought Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai under the green scanner by filing an Environment Interest Litigation (EIL), alleging illegal dumping and release of waste in the Arabian Sea.

The young petitioners decided to file the EIL after a recent visit to the dargah where they found the area dirty and unhygienic. They also said that human waste discharged from toilets on the dargah premises goes straight into Arabian Sea. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took serious cognisance of the matter and issued notices against the Haji Ali Dargah Trust and government agencies, directing them to file a reply before March 5. While replies are awaited, the dargah recently claimed that it had not yet received any notice. We can take heart that youngsters have taken note and shown sensitivity to the environment. There must be seriousness in the replies and an attempt to clean up the surroundings.