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The Supreme Court, on April 29, 2025, asked the Madhya Pradesh goernment and the Centre whether it is permissible to build houses in forest areas and, if so, what the provisions are.
The bench comprising justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi instructed both the state of Madhya Pradesh and the central government, via the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), to submit detailed affidavits outlining the provisions for constructing houses in forest areas, if permitted.
The affidavits, to be submitted in three weeks, should also include the relevant rules and regulations, the order stated.
The Supreme Court April 29, 2025 ordered notices to be sent to nine thermal power plants, including two operated by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, regarding installation of flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) units. The court also instructed that new notices be issued to the thermal power plants listed in its previous order from April 2, 2025.
The central government was asked to promptly provide the addresses of the thermal power plants specified in the order.
The Supreme Court emphasised the significance of FGD units in reducing pollution. FGD is a scrubbing method that uses an alkaline reagent, typically sodium- or calcium-based, to eliminate SO2 from flue gas.
The counsel for the state of Punjab indicated he would acknowledge the notice for the Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant. While submitting an affidavit as per the last order, Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd was requested to address the factual issues raised in the affidavit by Nabha Power Ltd.
Nabha Power, which operates the Rajpura thermal power plant in Rajpura, Punjab, filed an affidavit stating that it had installed both FGD units. However, it was reported that commissioning was delayed due to a lack of cooperation from Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.
The Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation (MC) Prayagraj reported to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on May 1, 2025 that all legacy waste within the MC Prayagraj boundaries will be treated and remedied by June 15, 2025.
The tribunal was informed that 771.53 tonnes of solid waste is generated daily within MC Prayagraj, and there is complete treatment of this daily waste.
The counsel for Neeraj Tiwari, the applicant, requested four weeks to verify these facts and submit an objection or rejoinder to the affidavit from the Commissioner of MC Prayagraj. The court is scheduled to hear the case again on September 4, 2025.
In view of shrinking Gangetic Dolphin population, NGT May 1, 2025 instructed the directors of the National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) in Patna and the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) in Barrackpore, Kolkata to attend the next hearing virtually on September 4, 2025, to aid the tribunal.
Previously, on January 20, 2025, the court included these directors to gather suggestions for conserving and boosting dolphin populations in the basin. Despite receiving notice, representatives from NDRC and CIFRI did not attend on May 1.
Additionally, the counsel for the Wildlife Institute of India requested an additional two weeks to submit a further reply according to the January 20, 2025 order. The NGT had earlier instructed the Wildlife Institute of India to provide a report detailing the methods used for estimating dolphin numbers in the Ganga Basin.