DHAKA: The Narendra Modi government of India, which believes itself to be efficient and hard working, received sharp criticism on Thursday from the Supreme Court which said it behaved like 'Kumbhakarna', the mythological character who loved sleeping for long periods.

The court also termed the government as the 19th century story character ‘Rip Van Winkle’, who shirked hard work.

An SC bench of India compared the Union government to these two characters while frowning upon the ministry of environment and forests’ for failing to submit a report despite grant of two months time on the biodiversity impact of 24 hydro-electric projects on Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins in Uttarakhand.

The court had stayed work on these projects awaiting the report.

“The report should have been here. It is the fault of the Union government. You are behaving like Kumbhakarna. We are at a loss to understand why the Union government has not placed the report before us. What is your intention? So much time was granted. You are like Rip van Winkle,” the bench said, reports TOI.

BDST: 0745 HRS, OCT 10, 2014