Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (March 11, 2026)

SC calls for compensation mechanisms for vaccine injuries

There is a need to address vaccine-related injuries through dedicated compensation mechanisms, and policies adopted internationally make it clear that governments have acknowledged that, said the Supreme Court, March 10, 2026 during a hearing on adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination.

Japan, for instance, has had a no-fault compensation scheme for vaccine related injuries since 1976, and it added COVID-19 vaccines as ‘temporary vaccinations’ after a 2020 amendment. It covers a wide range of adverse reactions related to COVID-19 vaccines.

India does not appear to have in place any uniform or structured policy mechanism to provide redress to individuals who suffer adverse effects following vaccination. This gap cannot be lightly overlooked, particularly when vaccination programmes are undertaken as public health measures under the aegis and authority of the state itself.

The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta noted that the "families alleging grave harm during the course of State-led vaccination program are left without any uniform remedy to seek redressal." 

SC acknowledged that from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts were undertaken at every level of governance to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The Supreme Court in the Jacob Puliyel case underscored the State's responsibility to monitor adverse events following immunisation. "Responsibility cannot end at surveillance alone, but must extend to providing fair compensation to those who suffered vaccine-related injury," said the court.

To allay the concerns of the appellants regarding the inefficiency in monitoring adverse events following immunisation (AEFI), the apex court reiterated that the Union of India must continue to ensure surveillance of AEFIs through efficient monitoring mechanisms. Furthermore, relevant data must be placed in the public domain transparently and promptly. 

SC directed the Centre through the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to expeditiously formulate and place in the public domain an appropriate no-fault compensation framework to address serious adverse events following immunisation) arising in the context of COVID-19 vaccination.

The existing mechanisms for monitoring adverse events following immunisation should continue, and relevant data should be periodically placed in the public domain in accordance with the observations in Jacob Puliyel case. No separate court-appointed expert body was necessary in view of the existing mechanisms for scientific assessment of adverse events following immunisation, said the order.

The apex court made it clear that the judgment should not preclude any person from pursuing such other remedies as may be available in law. Equally, the formulation of the no-fault framework should not be construed as an admission of liability or fault on the part of the Union of India or any authority.

A writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution (Rachana Gangu & Others Vs Union of India) was instituted before SC by parents of young individuals who had received COVID-19 vaccination and are stated to have died thereafter. The petition sought the constitution of an independent expert medical board to inquire into such deaths, the formulation of protocols for early detection and treatment of AEFI, and the grant of compensation. 

Writ petitions raising similar grievances came to be filed before the High Court of Kerala. In one such petition (Sayeeda K A Vs Union of India & Ors), the petitioner sought directions for recognition of a death allegedly following COVID-19 vaccination as an AEFI case and for the grant of compensation to the dependants of the deceased.

By an interim order dated September 1, 2022, the Kerala High Court directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Disaster Management Authority to formulate, within a stipulated period, a policy for identification of AEFI cases and for compensating the families of such deceased persons.

The central government sought transfer of the writ petitions to the Supreme Court that were pending before the Kerala High Court, where similar prayers of compensation were made by the petitioners. 

The Supreme Court was called upon to examine the legality and propriety of the interim directions issued by the Kerala High Court, and the extent to which judicial intervention is warranted in matters concerning adverse events following immunization, compensation, and public health policy.

Address industrial pollution in Naharlagun: NGT to MoEFCC

NGT directs MoEFCC to file its response on industrial pollution in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh. The eastern bench of NGT on March 9, 2026 directed the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to file its reply regarding the complaint of pollution caused by two industries in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, affecting the environment and health of the people. 

In addition to MoEFCC, the state of Arunachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the two industries, namely Aether Alloys and Arunachal Ferro Alloy, were directed to file their responses.

The application was filed by Industrial Growth Centre Pollution Affected People’s Forum with regard to pollution caused by the two industries in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh which is affecting seven villages: Ruksin, Niglok, Ngorlung, Ralung, Mikong, Mangnang and Lingka. 

As per the application the industrial units caused air pollution mainly through dust and smoke and also contaminated the water bodies and agricultural land. The units are making silicon based products for industrial purposes. The black smoke from the chimney pollutes the atmosphere. The dust has also polluted agricultural and horticultural produce, including household wells, community ponds and streams used for drinking.

The application also indicated a decline in the population of biodiversity mainly frogs, fish and other aquatic animals. It further asserts that people in those areas face breathing problems such as chronic bronchitis, lung fibrosis and silicosis.

Groundwater management plan in the Lucknow district

The combined interventions undertaken across all departments — including large-scale pond rejuvenation, bunding, farm-level water conservation works, micro-irrigation expansion, rooftop rainwater harvesting and extensive desilting of rivers, canals and drains — have substantially advanced the implementation of the block-wise groundwater management plan in the Lucknow district.

These works have strengthened natural recharge, improved infiltration opportunities, revived traditional drainage channels and enhanced water use efficiency at the field level. The cumulative impact of more than 700 pond rejuvenations, significant bunding and levelling activities, construction of farm ponds, and over 6,600 km of stream and drain desilting would lead to improvement in surface-subsurface hydrological connectivity.

This was stated the action taken report by the District Magistrate, Lucknow, March 10, 2026 in compliance with the NGT order, September 26, 2025. 
The court wanted to know the details of water bodies falling within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, Lucknow; the status of encroachments on these water bodies; and their present condition.

The court also wanted to know the progress in implementing the block-wise groundwater management plan prepared under the National Aquifer Mapping (NAQUIM) study by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).
The report stated that a series of review meetings were convened under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate, Lucknow with all concerned departments. Directions were issued to compile a comprehensive and updated report on water bodies, including progress on encroachment removal, restoration work, geo-tagging and boundary demarcation. 

The report stated that the total number of ponds/Amrit Sarovars under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, Lucknow is 1812, covering an area of 594.128 hectares. Around 76.919 hectares have been found encroached. Lucknow Municipal Corporation maintains 12 ponds covering an area of 28.47 hectares and there are no encroachments on them. The 12 waterbodies have been restored/ maintained by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation under the Amrit Sarovar Abhiyan.

Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) maintains 11 water bodies/wetlands with an area of 48.64 hectares. The report also contained information on the implementation of block-wise groundwater management plan and progress achieved in last 5 years upto November 2025.

In Malihabad block which the CGWB termed semi-critical in 2024, 77 ponds and 2 bunds were rejuvenated/repaired under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA). One check dam was constructed and 33 government buildings were covered with a rooftop rainwater harvesting system.

Further, as part of the implementation of the block wise groudwater management plan, the Irrigation Department has undertaken extensive strem development, desilting and drain cleaning works throughout district Lucknow from the year 2020 onwards which have  significantly contributed to improving groundwater recharge potential. Stream development and silt cleaning work has been completed on 4,464.715 km during 2020-2026 across the eight blocks of the district. Cleaning works have also been carried out in 2,190.537 km of the drain.

In addition, desilting of the Gomti river stretch from IIM road to Shaheed Path is currently under execution. Desilting of the Kukrail river is also underway.