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An affidavit filed by the divisional forest officer (DFO), Medininagar, Jharkhand, has confirmed the allegations reported in the newspaper The Times of India regarding an attack on five forest officers by the stone mafia.
The report stated that the incident “appears to be a pre-planned criminal conspiracy, potentially orchestrated by persons involved in illegal mining to obstruct lawful duty and eliminate forest personnel involved in anti-illegal mining operations.”
On July 9, 2025, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) granted two weeks’ time to the district magistrate and collector, Palamu, Jharkhand, to submit their reply. The authorities were also directed to outline the steps to be taken for determining and recovering Environmental Compensation from the violators. Similarly, the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board was granted time to file a counter-affidavit.
The NGT’s eastern bench, on July 9, 2025, granted time to West Bengal’s Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) to file a reply regarding impediments to the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) on a plot at Sarkar Para, under Ranaghat municipality.
Counsel for KMDA sought adjournment of the matter to obtain instructions on whether the state government had taken legal possession of the land and to clarify the nature of the obstacle preventing construction of the 5.2 million litres per day (MLD) capacity STP.
An affidavit dated July 1, 2025, filed by KMDA, stated that land measuring 0.78 acres, which is owned by a private party, had been identified for the proposed STP. However, it was noted that physical possession of the land had not yet been formally handed over to KMDA by the state administration.
It remains unclear whether the state has taken possession of the land from the private owner. Commencement of construction is contingent upon formal receipt of physical possession of the site, NGT was told.
Counsel for the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the NGT’s central zone Bench on July 11, 2025 that a scientific study has been conducted to assess water quality in the city and that the report would be submitted within two weeks. The tribunal has listed the matter for final hearing on August 8, 2025.
The case pertains to an article in the newspaper Dainik Bhaskar published on December 19, 2024, which reported concerning water quality in Bhopal’s lakes. Water analysis revealed microplastic concentrations ranging from 1,480 to 2,050 particles per cubic metre in the Upper Lake (Bada Talab) and 2,160 to 2,710 particles per cubic metre in another lake.
Water from the Kereva Dam was found to contain 820 particles per cubic metre before treatment and 450 after treatment. Similarly, the water at the Birla Temple showed 450 particles per cubic metre, Pipalya Talab 1,765-2,175 and Deodharam Tekari 600 particles per cubic metre.