Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The Supreme Court of India asked for details from all the states on the number of children with special needs and the number of special teachers enrolled as well as the number and status of vacancies.
The states were also asked to inform when they propose to fill up the vacancies and meet with the requirement of the SC orders dated October 28, 2021 and May 2, 2022.
The apex court February 14 asked all the states to file short affidavits on the matter within a period of two weeks and give advance copy of the said affidavits to the amicus curiae for compiling the information for the court.
The events of Sambhar festival are being organised at venues which will not affect the birds or natural habitat of the Sambhar lake in Jaipur, Rajasthan, the state department of tourism said in a report to the National Green Tribunal.
The Department of Tourism, the organiser of the first ever Sambhar festival, said that to attract tourists to the region, development works were carried out and a budget of Rs 100 crore was sanctioned from the Government of India to promote Sambhar as an ecological destination.
After completion of development works, all sites were handed over to Sambhar Salts Ltd and Nagar Palika, Sambhar.
The department developed the lake side camping area for camping purposes only, it added. After various meetings, it was decided that the lakeside area alongside the road was the apt place for the food court, craft shops and camping, along with some adventure activities such as kite flying, parasailing and cycling.
No sound-related activity is being done there. Also, the main lake area which is home to the migratory birds is at least two kilometres from this, the report stated. So, this event won't impact the migratory birds in any way, it added.
Cultural evenings are planned in the town of Sambhar, for which sound arrangements will be made as per the existing government laws, the department noted. Sambhar festival will be held in the lakeside camping area only, it highlighted.
The report was sought in response to a petition by Abid Ali Khan who had said that the activities planned during the Sambhar festival would adversely affect the migratory birds and natural habitat of the lake.
The district authorities of Palakkad, Kerala are taking all necessary steps for the preservation and enrichment of the local riverbank ecosystem of the Bharathappuzha river, the additional chief secretary of the state told NGT February 16, 2023.
On February 24, 2022, NGT took notice of a media report ‘Burning banks of Bharathapuzha’ on how anti-social elements continue to burn dried riparian grassland and asked for submission of a report on the matter and steps taken to prevent it.
The district collector of Palakkad is coordinating the various activities at the district level with the cooperation of the irrigation, agriculture and police departments, Harithakarmasena and biodiversity management committees, the official mentioned in the status report.
A survey squad was deployed by the revenue department to revalidate the boundaries of Bharathappuzha, it added. Another survey team has also been engaged to stop encroachments.
The district administration of Palakkad is coordinating the work of riverbed cultivation, fallow land cultivation, bamboo planting, vegetables and paddy farming which are being done in Pattambi, Ottappalam, Anakkara, Pattithara Thirthala, Vaniyamkulam municipalities and Gram Panchayats to preserve the biodiversity of Bharathappuzha and prevent coastal erosion, according to the official report.
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