The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that there might be better implementation of plans, such as cleaning of Yamuna river, in view of the "changed circumstances". The observation by a bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih assumes significance in the wake of the BJP unseating the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi in the recently-concluded assembly elections.

The top court is hearing a suo motu case titled 'Remediation of polluted rivers' in which it is dealing with the issue of contamination of Yamuna river.

"I think with the changed circumstances now, there may be better implementation of plans," Justice Gavai said during the hearing

Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, who's assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae, said earlier that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) was monitoring the issue concerning Yamuna river through a committee.

She said after the top court took suo motu cognisance of the matter in January 2021, the tribunal disbanded the committee. The bench observed that it appeared there were some other petitions concerning pollution in Yamuna river, which were pending before another bench of the apex court.

It asked additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the Centre, to find out from the authorities as to whether there were any other petitions pending with regard to the same issue. The bench posted the matter for hearing after the Holi vacation.

The amicus said the NGT had passed several orders, giving directions from time to time regarding various compliances to be met with regard to Yamuna river.

She said the monitoring committee constituted by the tribunal was supervising what was being done between Haryana and Delhi regarding the setting up of sewage treatment plants and common effluent treatment plants. "Should we send it back to the NGT," the bench asked.

The amicus suggested this might be better monitored by the NGT.

The bench observed that all these matters can be consolidated. "You take instructions if the NGT can monitor it or we can get it monitored through a CEC (central empowered committee), if you all agree on that," the bench said.

On January 13, 2021, the apex court took cognisance of contamination of rivers by sewage effluent and observed that pollution-free water forms a basic right under the Constitutional framework and a welfare state is "bound" to ensure the same. The top court had said it would first take up the issue of contamination of Yamuna river.