Environmental Law
'Education Now An Industry' : Supreme Court Strikes Down Centre's Exemption For Educational Buildings From Environmental Clearance
The Supreme Court today struck down a part of the Centre's January 29, 2025 notification that had exempted construction projects related to industrial sheds, schools, colleges, and hostels from obtaining prior environmental clearance under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran held that this exemption,...
Centre Appoints 6 Members To National Green Tribunal
The Central Government has appointed two judicial members and four expert members to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Following are the newly appointed members:Judicial Members Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain, Former Judge, High Court of Delhi, presently serving as Member in NCDRC.Justice Umesh Chandra Sharma, Former Judge, High Court of Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad), presently serving as...
Pollution Control Boards Can Impose Environmental Compensation On Polluting Entities: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Monday (Aug.4) ruled that the Pollution Control Boards (PCB) are empowered to impose environmental compensation on polluting entities under their statutory mandate. “the environmental regulators, the Pollution Control Boards exercising powers under the Water and Air Acts, can impose and collect restitutionary or compensatory damages in the form of fixed sum of monies...
'Entire Himachal Pradesh May Vanish; Revenue Earning Can't Be At Cost Of Environment' : Supreme Court Raises Alarm
Raising concerns about the ecological imbalance in the State of Himachal Pradesh, the Supreme Court warned that if unregulated development continues, "the entire State may vanish in thin air from the map of the country.” The Supreme Court, while noting that proper monitoring is required to check the diversion of green tax funds for unrelated purposes, observed that generating revenue at...
Kumbh Mela Waste Dumping Allegation | NGT Disposes Plea By Ex-IPS Officer As UPPCB Assures To Look Into The Issue
The National Green Tribunal Principal Bench on Tuesday disposed of a plea filed by a former IPS officer [Amitabh Thakur], alleging that waste collected during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj was being dumped without processing at the Basawar waste site, about 10 km south of the city.Noting that the plea lacked prima facie material, Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Exper Member Dr....
Can Crusher Units Operate In ESZ Areas? Supreme Court To Consider
The Supreme Court on Thursday (June 26) sought the view of the amicus curiae in the forest batch matter (TN Godavarman Thirumalpad case) on whether stone/metal crusher units can operate within the Eco Sensitive Zones (ESZ) notified around protected forests.The petitioner, the proprietor of a crusher unit based in Kerala, contended that the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court in ESZ...
'Mining Mafia Strong Enough' : Supreme Court Slams Haryana Chief Secretary For Not Stopping Illegal Mining In Aravalli Hills
The Supreme Court on Thursday came down heavily on the State of Haryana over non-action against illegal mining in the Aravallis in Nuh District. The Court also noted that the mining mafia in the region was also protecting the erring officials involved. The CJI said : "It appears that the mafia is strong enough to protect not only its members but also the officers of the state government who...
Supreme Court Declares Maharashtra's Zudpi Jungles As Protected Forests, Directs Scrutiny Of Post-1996 Allotments
The Supreme Court today (May 22) held that Zudpi jungle lands in Maharashtra are forest lands, bringing them under the purview of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (“FC Act”) and stalling their conversion without prior approval from the Central Government. The judgment delivered by a bench of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih held that all Zudpi Jungle land allotments...
