PRAYAGRAJ, July 2 -- While disposing of a PIL petition seeking removal of garbage left at the ghats of Prayagraj after the Mahakumbh 2025, the Allahabad high court directed the petitioners to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which can speedily and efficaciously deal with the matter. The PIL petition was filed by Anshika Pandey and seven other law interns. A division bench comprising Justice Jayant Banerji and Justice Madan Pal Singh observed, "In our opinion, since the Tribunal under the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act has jurisdiction under section 14 and it can speedily and efficaciously deal with the matter being sought to be raised by the petitioners, we deem it fit to dispose of this petition leaving it open to the petitioners to approach the Tribunal under the NGT Act for redressal of the grievances". The contention raised by the petitioners was that the matter relates to pollution as a result of improper waste disposal near different river ghats in Prayagraj after the Mahakumbh, which will affect the public at large given the monsoon season. Should the water level reach the area and ghats concerned, it will cause irreparable loss and harm to the society and public at large and hence this petition was filed. After hearing both sides, the court in its judgment dated June 27 disposed of the PIL, saying, "In the opinion of the court, the preliminary objection raised by the counsel for the respondents as to the maintainability of the present petition in view of the statutory alternative remedy provided under the NGT Act, appears to be correct. Under Section 14 of the NGT Act, the tribunal has jurisdiction over all civil cases where a substantial question relating to the environment (including enforcement of any legal right relating to the environment) is involved"....