Sikkim High Court directs urgent action on sewage disposal in Lachen & Lachung

Sikkim High Court directs urgent action on sewage disposal in Lachen & Lachung Last Update: Sunday, Oct 25, 2026 15:36 [IST] GANGTOK, : Authorities in Mangan district have begun inspecting sewage discharge points in Lachen and Lachung to identify solutions for the disposal of wastewater, following the strict directions of the High Court of Sikkim to stop the discharge of untreated sewage into rivers and streams. Mangan District Collector Anant Jain led a joint inspection on October 24, accompanied by officials from various departments and the Pipons of Lachen and Lachung. The team examined existing sewage disposal arrangements and explored measures such as soak pits and septic tanks wherever feasible. Lachen and Lachung are two premier tourism destinations in North Sikkim, attracting nearly 4,000 tourists daily during peak tourism season. During a previous hearing of a suo moto PIL, the High Court of Sikkim had directed an inspection of waste management facilities in Lachung and Lachen. Subsequently, the Mangan District Legal Services Authority submitted its report to the court which noted the findings as “alarming” during the subsequent PIL hearing on October 14. The report highlighted the discharge of wastewater from septic tanks and household outlets into local water channels, which eventually flow into Lachen Chu and Lachung Chu, the two main tributaries of the Teesta River. The division bench of Chief Justice A Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan expressed serious concern over the discharge of untreated wastewater from households and hotels into jhoras, streams and rivers in the two popular tourist destinations, warning that hotels failing to comply with the directions within the stipulated time would have to be closed down. The inspection report pointed out that septic tanks in hotels and households often fill up quickly during the peak tourist season, resulting in excess untreated sewage flowing through outlet pipes into jhoras and streams.