The Supreme Court July 8, 2024 was informed by the additional solicitor general that a national policy on the provision of menstrual hygiene products for adolescent girls is at an advanced stage of consideration by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The Additional Solicitor General stated that a consolidated policy would be prepared shortly and placed before the SC within a period of two months.
The SC directed fixed the next hearing of the case on September 9, 2024.
The eastern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), July 9, 2024 directed the constitution of a four member joint committee to look into the allegations of illegal mining activities taking place in the River Jatinga stone quarry, Cachar district, Assam.
The committee would visit the site in question and submit its factual and action taken report with regard to the allegations made. The District Magistrate, Cachar district, Assam, would be the nodal office for all logistic purposes and for filing the report of the committee on affidavit.
The allegation in the letter petition filed was that illegal mining activities are taking place in the River Jatinga stone quarry in the nature of unauthorised and excessive mining in gross violation of environmental laws, regulations and guidelines.
Large excavators are being used at the mine, the petitioner alleged. This has polluted the river that serves as a primary source of drinking water for locals.
It was also alleged that the mining under the "mining plan of Stone Mahal" is limited to a mining depth upto two metres within the contract period but the quarry operators are excavating beyond a depth of 20 metres.
The contract holders are illegally supplying the materials to large construction projects and using unauthorised machines and 10-wheeler dumpers from their stone screening plant near the Stone Mahal, without proper forest permits thereby causing substantial loss of revenue to the state exchequer, according to the petitioner.
The SC July 9, 2024 granted three months time to National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to submit a detailed report about compliances made by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation with respect to the provisions of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
NEERI has been directed to submit a report before the next date, October 21, 2024.