A Division Bench of Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice Indira Banerjee asked the state advocate general and the senior counsel of Government of India to be present at the next hearing of the case on April 18.

On Friday, environmentalist Subhas Dutta moved the plea that the 44 municipalities through which Ganga passes and agencies like Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), did not remove the garbage from the riverside which polluted Ganga.

KoPT is entitled to ensure that there is no navigation in a distance of 150 feet or less from the riverbank. Even though the money collected by leasing out the area fills its coffers, the agency has expressed its inability to clear the garbage dumped on the riverside.

He also pointed out that in its October 16 order, the High Court had directed KoPT and the municipalities to remove the debris after the immersion of idols in the Ganga during the pujas. But the agency did not comply with its orders. The KMC, on its part, did not do anything, as the riverbank did not fall under its jurisdiction.

During the hearing, the Division Bench observed that the attitude of the municipalities and other agencies was “unfortunate”.