Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: The High Court of Sikkim ordered an immediate stop to untreated sewage dumping into the Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu rivers. These waterways serve as vital tributaries to the Teesta. A division bench, featuring Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan, issued the mandate. The judges labeled the ongoing pollution a "very sorry state of affairs."
The court set a strict four-week deadline for compliance. Hotels that ignore this order face a mandatory shutdown until they meet environmental standards. The legal action stems from WP(PIL) No. 10 of 2026, a suo motu case concerning waste management. An inspection report by the Mangan District Legal Services Authority triggered the ruling. It revealed septic tanks overflowing during peak tourism. Black and grey water regularly drain into mountain streams. Some homes in Lachung even pipe waste directly into the river.
Lachen hosts 3,010 residents, while Lachung holds 3,332. Tourism creates massive waste spikes. Lachen attracts 1,575 daily visitors, and Lachung sees 2,309. Army personnel add another 1,500 people in Lachen and 1,900 in Lachung. Inspectors noted foul odors and discolored water at the sites. At the army area in Thangu, waste currently goes into pits with a bacteria-based treatment trial underway.
The government must now identify locations for new sewage treatment plants across all districts within three weeks. Officials have one additional week to approach the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Meanwhile, the Dzumsas of Lachen and Lachung are now parties to the case. The court also ordered legal services authorities to survey all six state districts. Amicus Curiae Tara Devi Chettri will compile these findings. A proposal to fix this infrastructure under the Vibrant Villages Programme remains stalled. The National River Conservation Directorate previously rejected the projects, claiming they were town infrastructure, not river conservation work.
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