The Supreme Court directed states and Wetland Authorities to physically verify and demarcate water bodies within four months. The order underscores wetland protection as essential to drinking water and the constitutional right to life.Newdelhi,Oct 24, 2026 15:00 ISTThe Supreme Court has said courts cannot ignore the consequences of precious water bodies remaining unprotected and directed all states and relevant authorities to physically verify and demarcate wetlands, the Press Trust of India reported.A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi said water bodies are sources of drinking water and fall within the scope of the right to life guaranteed under the Constitution."This Court cannot remain a mere spectator or be unmindful of the consequences flowing from water bodies remaining unprotected," the bench said.The court reiterated its directions to states and Wetland Authorities to carry out physical ground verification, also referred to as ground-truthing, of water bodies if the exercise had not already been completed.

It asked them to file compliance affidavits explaining the method adopted for the exercise. The court initially said the affidavits should be filed within a maximum of four weeks, according to PTI."Shekhar Naphade, senior counsel has vociferously contended that undertaking the exercise of ground truthing by the officials would be time-consuming exercise and has prayed for reasonable time of six to nine months being granted," the court said.

The bench said it was aware of the extensive physical work involved and the need for coordination between departments."Yet, being alive to the situation, we deem it proper to grant four months' time to complete the said exercise," the bench said.The Supreme Court noted that the ground verification and demarcation exercise had not been completed even nine years after the rules were published.The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by bird enthusiast Anand Arya, advocate M K Balakrishnan and NGO Vanashakti. It has given states and Wetland Authorities four months to complete the physical verification and demarcation of water bodies and submit details of the process.- Ends