PIL against officials for issuing NOCs to bring jumbos from other states

Elephants being used in various ceremonies and processions have for long raised the heckles of environmentalists, on the grounds that the ‘gentle giants’ are subjected to inhuman treatment in the name of culture and tradition. Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) and Akhila Karnataka Prani Daya Sangha have gone a step further and have filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court, against the Principal Secretary to the Department of Environment and Ecology, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.

The Bombay High Court has asked Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) to urgently check pollution in Godavari river which originates at Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik, a major pilgrim centre.

Perusing the affidavit filed by NMC on February 24, a bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka observed that it was general in nature and that they were not satisfied with the steps taken to check pollution.

PANJIM: The affidavit by Goa Foundation in the PIL on illegal mining that is likely to come up Wednesday referring to raising contractors said, “As the case of Badruddin Mavani has shown, eventuall

Taking suo motu cognisance of a letter seeking action against renowned pharmaceutical companies for looting cancer patients by printing inflated maximum retail price (MRP) on medicines, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today put the state of Punjab on notice.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain issued the notice after taking cognisance of the letter by Faridkot-based Bhai Ghanaiya Cancer Roko Seva Society.

Hearing a PIL, the Calcutta High Court on Monday inquired about the figures of public transport which were 15 years old, banned by the transport department.

Goa’s mining industry took their urgent plea to the Prime Minister on Monday seeking his help to resume mining in the state.

In a memorandum presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, an organisation representing workers and other mining beneficiaries pleaded “an affirmative political consensus between the state and the central government for urgent and immediate resumption of mineral development operations in Goa.” Mining in the state came to a halt after a Centre-appointed committee raised serious issues with the decade-old practices, government connivance in giving clearances, and other objections. The iron-ore rich state primarily exports its low-grade ore to Chinese steelmakers.

The Supreme Court on Friday stopped construction and development work of industrial units at the Adani group-owned Adani Port special economic zone (APSEZ) at Mundra in Kutch pending clearances from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). However, it allowed already functional units to continue business operations within APSEZ (formerly Mundra Port and SEZ).

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, while disposing of the four petitions filed by Skaps industries, Ahistrom Fiber Composites (I), Oriental Carbon Chemicals and Dorf Ketal Speciality Catalyst, set aside the Gujarat High Court’s exparte order that halted commercial production of all 12 industrial units within the SEZ till environment clearance was granted by the MoEF in favour of APSEZ.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the state government and the civic body to file a reply to a petition seeking action from civic authorities to ensure prompt measures to tackle dengue in the city and take steps to make it a notifiable disease.

Demanding the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to list dengue as a notifiable disease, the NGO contended that making it mandatory for private hospitals and clinics to report cases was important to check the disease.

PANJIM/NEW DELHI: The Goa Foundation PIL which resulted in suspension of all mining operations in Goa is listed before the Forest Bench of the Supreme Court for Friday, but it may or may not come up as six other cases are listed before it for consideration by the Bench that meets only in the post-lunch session from 2 pm.

The petition was filed in the wake of Justice M B Shah Commission report on illegal mining in Goa, which exposed projected illegalities amounting to Rs 35,000 crore.

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday stayed commercial operations and development activities of 12 companies located in the Adani Group owned Adani Port Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) in Mundra taluka of Kutch district, till environmental clearance is granted to them by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

The directions were issued on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by villagers of Navinal village in Mundra alleging that these companies in question have not only developed production units but also were importing and exporting goods, despite no environmental clearance by the MoEF.