Environmental Law
Supreme Court Orders SIT Probe Into Illegal Gravel Mining In Rajasthan's Luni, Jojari And Bandi Rivers, Bars New Industries Near River Ecosystem
The Supreme Court has directed the Rajasthan government to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within three days to investigate organised illegal bajri (gravel) mining in the Luni, Jojari and Bandi rivers and their tributaries, including the involvement of public officials in facilitating such activities. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, in an...
Commercial Crop Cultivation Cannot Be Recognized As Forest Right To Justify Presence In Forest Area : Supreme Court
The Court appointed a committee led by ex-CJI BR Gavai to examine the Forest Rights Act claims in Megamalai region in Tamil Nadu.
Supreme Court Warns Rajasthan Of CBI Probe Into Regularisation Of Illegal Mining Along Jojari-Luni-Bandi River System
“Making 20 lakh people live in hell cannot be compared with your economic viability of a few thousand people,” Justice Mehta remarked.
Running Factory Sans Legal Permission "Is A Crime"; Pollution Control Board Can Order Immediate Closure Without Show-Cause Notice: MP High Court
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently dismissed a steel factory's plea claiming that the closure order passed against it was without providing a show cause notice and thus violating natural justice principles. [2026 LiveLaw (MP) 418]The division bench of Justice Subodh Abhyankar and Justice Jai Kumar Pillai rejected this argument noting that the petitioner was operating without a valid...
National Green Tribunal Forms Panel To Assess Allegations Of Illegal Sand Mining At Betwa River
The National Green Tribunal, Central Zone at Bhopal directed the constitution of a three-member Joint Committee to assess allegations of illegal sand mining activities at the River Betwa located in District Vidisha. Noting that "a substantial issue of environment has been raised", the bench of Judicial Member Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, and Expert Member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, issued notice...
Supreme Court Pulls Up Kerala Govt Over Compliance With Direction On Elephant's Upkeep
The Supreme Court today(October 9) pulled up the Kerala government for not showing compliance with its June order to take over the custody of Raman, a captive elephant known to be the tallest in Kerala.It may be recalled that in June, the Court held a Kerala resident, Krishnankutty, guilty of contempt for violating an undertaking that the elephant would not be subjected to commercial...
Madras High Court Refuses To Recall Order Directing Micro/Nano Plastic Warning Labels On Water, Sugar, Salt; Says Consumer Has Right To Know
The Madras High Court has refused to review its decision mandating warning labels on plastic/PET drinking water bottles and salt/sugar packets with respect to the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics. The bench of Justice N Satish Kumar and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy dismissed a review application filed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Pet...
'Will Bring Respite To Mumbaikars': Bombay High Court Permits Cutting Of 1,237 Mangroves For 'Connector' Bridge In Western Suburbs
The Bombay High Court on Thursday (September 17) permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to cut down a total 1,237 mangroves for constructing the Versova-Madh Island 'connector' bridge, which would reduce the travel time from 22 km to 1.5 km for one to reach to Madh Island from western suburbs. A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait...
Uttarakhand High Court Dismisses Plea Challenging Proposed Shift Of High Court From Nainital To Haldwani As Premature
The Uttarakhand High Court has dismissed a challenge to the proposed relocation of the High Court Complex from Nainital to Haldwani, holding that the writ petition was premature as the matter was presently at the stage of identification of land. The Court observed that prior approval of the Central Government under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 would be required when the...
Prior Land Possession Not Mandatory To Apply For Environmental Clearance For Bio-Medical Waste Facilities : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Monday (September 7) held that a prior allotment or legal possession of land is not mandatory at the stage of submitting an application for granting an Environmental Clearance (EC) for the purpose of establishing a Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF). “Clause 6 of the EIA, 2006 states that an application in Form 1 can be made after the identification...
NGT To Host International Conference On 'The Future Of Environemnt & Climate Dynamics 2026'
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is organising a two-day International Conference on “The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics – 2026” on 19 and 20 September 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Conference seeks to provide a distinguished global platform for dialogue, deliberation and exchange of best practices on some of the most pressing environmental and climate...
Supreme Court Bans Construction Within 100 Metres Of Jojari River, Bars Polluting Activities Within 500 Metres
The Supreme Court today directed that no construction or development activity shall be permitted within 100 metres of the edge of the Jojari River in Rajasthan, as an interim measure to protect the river ecosystem from further ecological degradation.A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta stated that the restriction would remain in force until completion of a scientific...