Kochi: The state government informed the Kerala High Court on Thursday that the Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit has been constituted in accordance with the court's direction.

The submissions were presented before the division bench consisting of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Syam Kumar VM. They were considering a contempt petition regarding non-compliance with their July 2025 judgment, which directed the government to establish a Management Unit within two months of the issuance of an official notification. 

It had also specified that the Unit must hold its first meeting within two months of the notification to determine the procedural formalities for regulating its operations.

The government said that a notification has been issued by the Special Secretary of the state's environment department, constituting the Ashtamudi Wetland Management Unit.

This comes after the bench clarified on Wednesday that the constitution of the Management Unit for the Conservation of Ashtamudi Wetland does not require the creation of new posts, as the government had submitted. Following this, the court directed the state to issue a notification constituting the Management Unit by January 7, 2026.

Acting on this direction, the state has issued an order constituting the Ashtamudi Management Unit, with the District Collector as the Chairperson.

However, the petitioner's counsel argued that several aspects mentioned in the judgment, aside from the constitution of the Management Unit, have not yet been complied with by the state.
The court thus posted the matter on January 22 to consider the other aspects.
(With Live Law inputs)