The Supreme Court has halted Haryana's jungle safari project in the Aravalli range until experts clarify the definition of 'Aravalli range,' citing concerns about environmental protection and potential damage to the eco-fragile area.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan made the observation while rejecting the plea of a man who had chopped down 454 trees in the protected Taj Trapezium Zone.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has recused himself from hearing pleas related to the alleged illegal felling of hundreds of trees in the Delhi Ridge area. The decision comes after a previous bench, led by former CJI D Y Chandrachud, sought a personal affidavit from Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in the case, which also sought contempt proceedings against certain DDA officials. CJI Khanna stated that his prior involvement with the Delhi LG while serving as the NALSA chairman would make it inappropriate for him to hear the plea. The bench has ordered the listing of the pleas before a different bench starting November 27.
The apex court directed the CBI, which is already probing the case, to file its status report in the matter within three months.
Terming it a "very sorry state of affairs", the apex court said the state was just trying to find some excuse or the other.
A Supreme Court-constituted panel has asked the Union environment ministry to amend or withdraw the guidelines related to setting up zoos and safaris within tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries to discourage the use of wildlife habitats for tourism activities which are non-site specific.
The apex court also referred to a central empowered committee report that 31 hills or hillocks have vanished in the state's Aravalli area.
The apex court raised the ceiling limit of iron ore mining from 28 MMT to 35 MMT for Ballari district, and from 7 MMT to 15 MMT for Chitradurga and Tumkur districts.
The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled 49 mining leases due to illegalities in Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka, but allowed resumption of activity in mines with lesser illegalities, as recommended by a Central Empowered Committee. CEC had categorised the mines in the area in three categories -- A, B and C. The mines with least or no irregularities were categorised as 'A' and those with maximum illegalities were placed in category 'C'.
After being ticked off by the Supreme Court-appointed Centrally Empowered Committee over "erroneous and incomplete data" on mining, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has sought to deflect the blame on erstwhile Congress regime for the "mess-up".
Expressing shock at the magnitude of the alleged illegal export of 35 lakh metric tons of iron ore by private firms in Karnataka, the Supreme Court on Thursday said it wants to explore the possibility if the guilty could be punished within six months.
The Supreme Court on Monday lifted its ban on iron ore mining operations in Karnataka by those companies which had not flouted lease conditions. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam accepted the report of its Central Empowered Committee, which had said that Category 'A' leases which consist of 21 operational and 24 non-operational leases should be allowed to carry on their business as they have not violated any rules.
The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee has recommended cancellation of mining lease to Karnataka's powerful Reddy brothers' firms in Andhra Pradesh, saying their Obulapuram Mining Company had openly flouted various environmental laws in mining operations.
The mining scam had first rocked Karnataka and now Goa. While the mess in Karnataka is well known, the scenario in Goa is no different. The Central Empowered Committee in its interim report on illegal mining in Goa has found various illegalities in its detailed report, a copy of which is with Rediff.com.
With the probe of the Centre-appointed Shah commission into alleged irregularities entering its last lap, Goan miners have started bracing themselves for a possible Karnataka-like blanket ban on mining and exports.
The CEC gave its latest report to the Supreme Court on Thursday.
The Karnataka government would abide by the Supreme Court decision on the recommendation of Central Empowered Committee to extend Central Bureau of Investigation probe into illegal mining in the state, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Friday.
The Supreme Court on Friday suspended mining activities in Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka, saying it would not change its order until a proper rehabilitation programme is formed. A three-judge forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia gave the order on a recommendation by its expert panel for halting extraction of iron ores in Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka.
Sticking to its stand, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka on Saturday asserted that it would not entrust the probe into the illegal mining issue to the Central Bureau of Investigation, but said a report would be submitted to the Supreme Court on the issues raised by a committee appointed by the apex court.
The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee on Friday said that large-scale illegal mining was going on in Karnataka, particularly in Bellary district, in connivance with officials and public representatives.A special forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia issued a notice to the state government and sought its response on various findings in the CEC's interim report, including the export of 304.91 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore without valid permit.
Bench, however, did not pass any order against 68 other mines
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Thursday again turned the heat on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state, accusing it of inaction on the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee's report on illegal mining.
In his letters to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Thackeray said it would be appropriate to opt for alternative alignment of Akola-Khandwa line considering the long-term irreversible impact the work will have on endangered species like tigers.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court on environment and forest, in its preliminary report submitted to the apex court has confirmed that prima facie there was illegal mining beyond the limits of leased lands, in violation of the forest conservation act by Reddy's companies.
Karnataka Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy on Friday night said the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee's report -- describing as 'illegal' the mining of iron ore by the Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him in Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border -- was not that of the apex court. He said the report by the CEC is an 'ex parte report' since the Obulapuram Mining Company "was never heard before
SC has asked Posco to submit a composite forest diversion proposal for its steel project in Orissa, thereby putting the company in a Catch22 situation.
Posco's mega steel plant in Orissa is inching forward with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests clearing a proposal under which Posco will plant trees on an area equivalent in size to the forest land where the project is coming up.
Radha Timblo, a Goa-based miner whose name figures in the black money list submitted by the Centre in the Supreme Court, on Tuesday denied having any "undisclosed" bank account in the country or abroad.
'It is also being done in violation of our Forest Tribal Act because it will involve the eviction of the tribals living in these forests.'
Radha Timblo, a Goa-based miner whose name figures in the black money list submitted in the Supreme Court, on Monday said she needs to study the government's affidavit before commenting on the issue.
There is a proposal to term forests as areas so notified and not include plantations on private land.
Operations at 26 mines are set to commence again within a couple of months.
The government has already said it is keen on starting ore mining and exports.
Over a month at the helm, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he was working towards "visible changes" in administration and asked his ministers to be honest enough to have the "moral courage."
Valmik Thapar's book -- Wildfire: The Splendours Of India's Animal Kingdom -- is a reminder of India's sumptuous wildlife wealth at a time when there is a steady dilution of conservation policies
Pradip Burman belongs to one of India's most illustrious business families, one which runs the noted Dabur brand of mostly Ayurveda-based FMCG products.
The Supreme Court imposed a green tax on trucks destined for other states but wanting to take a shorter route through Delhi.
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