Judgment of the Supreme Court in the matter of In Re: Zudpi Jungle Lands. A batch of applications involved a peculiar issue concerning the situation prevailing in the six districts of eastern Vidarbha region namely Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. The issue pertains to the status of the …
To check the growing abuse of public interest petitions, the Supreme Court has said, "The public must be compensated both for the delay in implementation of the project and the cost escalation resulting from such a delay.' Justice B N Kirpal and Justice Sujata V Manohar, while setting aside a …
The Delhi High Court has expressed strong displeasure over varying stands taken by authorities on the trade of human hair. The court has directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to carry out an inspection and state within one week whether the trade was going on in certain localities of the …
OF LATE there has been a growing awareness in South Asia to the new dangers posed by persistent organic pollutants (POPS), often referred to as the "dirty dozen". Pops are toxic organic compounds which, once released, continue to linger in the atmosphere and can pose serious health risks in the …
A public interest petition was filed in the Bangalore high court which sought directions to implement pollution control measures in the city. The court directed the government to file objections on the petition. A two-member bench had earlier issued notices to the chief secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, and …
The Delhi high court has asked the Central Public Works Department, civic bodies and the Central Pollution Control Board to devise an "aggressive" plan regarding the disposal of the solid waste plan. In a detailed order, the court said: "A systematic action plan was required to deal with the problem …
WITHIN 10 years, the world will begin to run out of its principal fuel - oil. We are rapidly approaching the point where global output of oil will begin to contract while the demand for petro-energy products will rise sharply. Oil industry executives and energy planners have reached the consensus …
At the time of going to press, Anna Hazare was released from jail. The Maharashtra government ordered his release after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray wrote in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, that the government should find a way to release the social activist.
Why did you make allegations against Babanrao Gholap when you did not have substantial evidence? I spoke against Gholap in the interest of society. Somebody has to take the initiative to fight against corruption. I deliberately did it to arouse mass consciousness against corruption. I had evidence against the minister, …
One of the most polluted cityies of the world, the Mexico City may find an answer to the growing menace of pollution. Due to a surplus in cane output, sugar producers of Mexico are hoping that the sugar-based ethanol industry will come to the rescue of the residents of Mexico …
The Delhi High Court recently upheld the government's decision to transfer some iron ore mines at Bailadila in Madhya Pradesh to Nippon Denro Ispat and dismissed a petition challenging the transfer. A division bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice A K Srivastava in a detailed order said, "It …
IN A rare display of solidarity, politicians and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have joined hands in expressing support for Anna Hazare. On September 10, Hazare was sentenced by the Mumbai metropolitan court to three months simple imprisonment in connection with a defamation suit filed by Maharashtra social welfare minister Babanrao Gholap. …
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to several government organisations after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL has sought to protect people in Delhi from serious health hazards due to the 6,000 tonnes of fly-ash generated every day by the three power stations. The PIL says fly-ash …
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on an application seeking contempt proceedings against CBI officers who had "virtually raided' the office of Delhi Forum, a non governmental organisation. The application filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) stated that the raid …
Prime Minister I K Gujral has voiced his concern on the growing misuse of public interest litigations (PIL). Speaking to the press on May 10, he expressed the need to initiate a debate on whether the current phenomenon of filing PILs have gone out of hand. He said, -Some remedies …
Now that the Supreme Court (sc) has been handing down a flurry of environmental orders, innumerable worms are tumbling out of the woods. The first variety, of course, comes to us in the form of our elected representatives, also known by that exalted name - 'the nation's leaders'. That there …
the Supreme Court's (sc) warning to senior officials of the ministry of environment and forests to enforce laws banning industries from using and dumping prohibited noxious chemicals or face the consequences, is laudable. In the order passed on a public interest litigation (pil), which noted that industrial waste was being …
The Jetpur Dyeing and Printing Association, Ahmedabad, has been directed by the Gujarat High Court to present a scheme to the Rajkot collector for solving the problem of water pollution caused by the sari printing and dyeing units in the state before September 6. The division bench has asked the …
That concerned citizens have the right to approach the courts on matters of social justice and that India's constitution, by implication, guarantees ecological justice are indeed ideas that have done India's judiciary proud. They have greatly strengthened democracy in the country and, over the years, public interest litigation has become …
IN Pakistan, environmentalists have gone to court to save the houbara bustard from being hunted by wealthy Arabs. The bustard case has not only angered the Gulf states, it has also provoked a surge of interest in the largely untapped potential of public interest litigation. When the government of Sind …
