The Tripura High Court January 9, 2025 directed Tripura State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) to file updated statistics on the incidence of HIV / AIDS patients in the state, including the rate among youth. The court wanted to know whether the steps being taken in the last 4-5 months have led to any improvement in arresting the upward trend of incidence of HIV / AIDS in the state.
The resolution of the National Narcotics Coordination Portal and the action taken should also be brought on record, added the HC. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for February 20, 2025.
The HC was notified that the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has approved the establishment of two new facility-integrated ART Centres in the Khowai and Gomati districts, as well as one new District Monitoring Unit to serve both the Gomati and South districts.
Additionally, the State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (SACS) has been instructed to request extra budget approval under the annual action plan for the financial year 2025-26 to make these sites operational.
Chinmoyee Das, public health specialist, NACO, submitted that NACO is constantly monitoring the progress of AIDS Control work in Tripura in collaboration with the State AIDS Control Society. Apart from that, it is stated that the State AIDS Control Society has already established 24 numbers of Stand Alone Integrated Counseling & Testing Centre (ICTC) and 133 numbers of Facility Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre for screening and testing services.
Three public-private partnerships model ICTC Centres and one mobile ICTC van are functional in the state. As many as 13 targeted intervention NGOs, two link worker schemes and four one-stop centres are working for the high risk groups.
Over a period of five-six years TSACS has increased the number of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres from 5 to 23 and another nine are approved and would be started soon.
The court was also informed that approval has been granted to two FIARTC and five Link ART Centres and two District Integrated Strategy for HIV / AIDS and District AIDS Prevention & Control Unit (DAPCU), which are working for district level programme implementation as per the NACO guidelines.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed January 10, 2025 to protect wildlife, especially elephants, from mycotoxin contamination.
A comprehensive survey and testing of all susceptible cultivation areas within and adjacent to known elephant corridors and habitats is required to be taken, implementing a regular monitoring and testing programme for mycotoxin contamination in these areas, the court said.
The central bench of NGT directed constitution of an expert committee comprising mycologists, wildlife experts, agricultural scientists and forest officials to assess the current situation, develop standard operative procedures and to recommend immediate and long-term preventive measures and monitor their implementation within their territorial jurisdiction.
In addition, the committee will also work to implement an integrated yearly warning system linking weather monitoring, agriculture practices and wildlife movement pattern, particularly during harvest seasons and in areas adjacent to wildlife habitats, and to develop a comprehensive guideline for climate resilient agricultural practices and self-cultivation methods with proper storage protocols and regular testing mechanisms in wildlife interface zones.
The court also directed implementation of a comprehensive awareness program for farmers, forest officials and local communities regarding proper cultivation practices, mycotoxin risks, preventive measures and wildlife safety protocols. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and the monitoring committees should regularly monitor the future cultivation and crops and its effect on the wildlife and especially on the elephants in the sanctuary to protect their life and health.
The bench of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh directed the monitoring committee to monitor the climate change, its effect on the harvesting and agriculture, land use and proper precautions should be taken to save the wildlife within their jurisdiction.
The NGT order came in the wake of applications filed before the court which included mysterious deaths of 10 elephants in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve that have been linked to Kodo millet poisoning.
Appropriate steps have been taken by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) regarding a drain that runs alongside a park in Greater Kailash, Delhi, which has been emitting stench and attracting mosquitoes. This was stated in the report filed by DJB before the NGT on January 11, 2025.
An application was filed before NGT on the basis of a news item in The Times of India on April 22, 2024 titled Greater Kailash lesser comfort life amid foul air & mosquitoes.
An inspection was conducted at the site by the DJB staff. The site comes under the jurisdiction of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
DJB has trapped the water flowing in the drain at the corner of the park in lieu of another NGT matter and moved its flow towards Okhla sewage treatment plant through existing Dakshinpuri trunk sewer. The trapping was constructed in pursuance of orders passed by the NGT. At present, there is no stagnation of water behind S-block, Greater Kailash-I nallah.