Curse of the horn
Soaring prices of rhino horns have led to a new spurt of poaching in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Once heralded as a conservation success …
Mine games
Haryana's politics-mining nexus plays havoc with the environment (Read full article)
Orphaned by apathy
Hidden from the outside world, this is the plight of the Van Taungiyas. They were hired during the British rule as resident labourers to plant …
In the tax bracket again
The Orissa government has slapped a forest development tax on three minor forest produce items -- tendu leaf, timber and bamboo. Seen as a …
An ecological triumph goes sour
Kerala celebrates silver jubilee of the Silent Valley project, but dismisses conservation measures
Court digest: Major environment hearings of the week (April 15-19)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Lucknow’s waterbodies perish at the hands of unregulated construction
Land records of Lucknow Nagar Nigam state the city has 964 tanks and ponds, a majority of which are unidentifiable due to reclamation
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (June 17, 2020)
Gujarat high court orders fencing of water bodies in Thatlej area
In the absence of proper protection laws, the city’s lakes are becoming vulnerable to encroachments and building activity, say activists
Delhi hospitals freed of poor
Delhi High Court exempts four private hospitals from treating the poor for free. Experts fear other hospitals will follow
Pollution may be higher in Kolkata this Diwali
Noise level standards were relaxed for firecrackers in West Bengal following recent orders of the National Green Tribunal
The Microsoft way
Wherein an Indian firm using pirated Microsoft software here is sued in the US by California state for using unfair trade advantage
Ban on junk food in plastic bags
Himachal court tells state to stop sale of non-essential items in non-biodegradable packs
Beyond Sharing: Towards our digital futures
The battle is not about file sharing and a petty film producer wanting to rake in the box office earnings. It is about the law’s incapacity …
Ban lifted on fishing in Sutlej
Discharge of effluents into the river had caused large-scale fish deaths, leading to the curbs
Adrift and Isolated
A proposed blanket ban on scientific prawn culture in Chilika lake is a total let-down for the fiskerfolk
Why app-based taxi aggregators need to comply with the law
While the growth in taxi-cabs is a positive sign which can reduce usage of personal cars, companies must care for environmental laws and show …
'NGT must have suo motu powers'
Justice Swatanter Kumar has been chairing the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for nearly two years now. In an interview to Down To Earth, he speaks …
SC dismisses petition challenging functioning of Tribal advisory council in Chhattisgarh
Governors are not exercising their powers as they want to avoid any confrontation with chief ministers who also head these councils, alleged petition
Bitter sweet
Who should have the first right over sugar produced by Uttar Pradesh's sugar mills - the banks who loaned the mills or the farmers who supplied …
Which are the junk food guidelines that can be enforced? asks Delhi High Court
Court seeks report from amicus curiae; says there is need to specify which food items need to be regulated in schools
Madras High Court restrains green tribunal from initiating suo motu proceedings
Order given on public interest petition which says tribunal has been overstepping its jurisdiction
Gujarat High Court stays construction work at Mundra SEZ
12 companies had gone ahead with construction of individual units despite court questioning commencement of work without environment clearance
Himachal Pradesh High Court bans junk food in non-biodegradable packs
Judges express hope that move will protect environment as well as children’s health
Playing with sea
Flouting laws, over 90 hotels have mushroomed on what once was a pristine beach in West Bengal