Official records reveal that over one lakh mature trees have been felled in Assam since May 2016 for various development projects, raising concerns about ecological loss despite compensatory afforestation efforts.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has voiced strong opposition to the cutting of trees for the construction of a 'Sadhu Gram' in Nashik ahead of the Kumbh Mela, urging the government to reconsider the decision. Actor Sayaji Shinde has also joined the protest, threatening opposition if the government proceeds with the tree removal.
The Supreme Court of India has directed the tree authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to halt any further tree felling in Mumbai's Aarey colony without its permission. The order comes after the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) informed the court that there were no pending proposals to cut more trees in the area. The court has previously permitted the felling of a limited number of trees for a metro rail project, but has also imposed penalties on the MMRCL for exceeding its permitted limits.
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.
A 23-year-old woman died in Bengaluru after a tree fell on the two-wheeler she was riding on. The incident occurred in Peenya Dasarahalli due to strong winds and rain. Another biker was injured in the same incident.
A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) as well as the governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.
The Supreme Court criticized the Haryana government for uprooting 40 trees to build a road to a BJP office in Karnal, demanding a remedial plan and warning of consequences.
Intense rains lashed Kerala on Sunday, uprooting trees across the state, including one that fell on a moving train in Thrissur and another that caused a fatality in Kozhikode. Houses were damaged, rivers were in spate, and shutters of some dams were raised as the southwest monsoon gained strength. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) placed five northern districts - Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod - under a 'red alert' for the day, predicting extremely heavy rainfall there.
A tree on a mountain opposite the gurudwara got uprooted following a storm and landslide. It fell on some vehicles parked on the road, killing six and injuring three others.
A group of khair smugglers in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, attempted to crush a forest department team after being intercepted. The smugglers were arrested and a case has been registered against them.
The National Green Tribunal has been informed by the Uttar Pradesh government's environment department that over 1.12 lakh trees will be felled in the protected forest area in the state to make way for the upcoming Kanwar Yatra route.
More than two dozen officials of the Uttarakhand forest department have been transferred following allegations of large scale felling of trees and illegal constructions in Corbett Tiger Reserve's buffer zone.
The Delhi government must come before the court and tell "how it will compensate for the damage caused to the environment due to its illegal acts", the bench said.
The Natural History Museum, London, has officially unveiled the 24-image shortlist for the 2026 Nuveen People's Choice Award. This prestigious contest, a key part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and supported by lead sponsor Nuveen, invites the public to decide which image will be crowned the winner.
A minor was killed and two others were injured in Simdega, Jharkhand, when a car driven by a minor crashed into a tree. Police are investigating the incident and holding parents accountable.
Severe cyclonic storm 'Montha' has begun making landfall off the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the process expected to continue for the next three to four hours. The storm is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, with wind speeds of 90-100 kmph.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said there were four passengers, including two women and two pilots, in the aircraft. Captain Naveen and Captain Tarun were piloting the plane, he said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued stop-work notices to 53 construction sites for contributing to air pollution in Mumbai. The civic body has also directed strict adherence to air pollution guidelines, including the use of AQI monitoring sensors. The Bombay High Court has also addressed the issue of air pollution in the city.
A truck accident in Arunachal Pradesh has resulted in the deaths of 18 labourers from Assam. The truck, carrying 22 workers, fell into a gorge in a remote area. Rescue operations are underway to find the missing.
Heavy rains continue to batter Tamil Nadu, causing a rise in reservoir levels and prompting a red alert. Schools and colleges are closed in several districts as authorities prepare for potential flooding.
A 22-year-old youth and a person with disability died, while at least 11 were injured, in separate rain-related incidents in the national capital on Wednesday evening. The incidents occurred amid sudden changes in weather in Delhi, as a rainy storm marked by hail wrecked havoc across the city, throwing traffic out of gear as far as Delhi-Noida, Delhi-Ghaziabad, and Delhi-Gurugram roads and uprooting several trees.
As the year draws to a close, Rediff's Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya takes a look at the hits and misses, the highs and lows, the newsmakers and the dealbreakers in alphabetical order.
At least 14 people have died in rain-related incidents as thunderstorms, strong winds and dust storms battered several parts of Gujarat, India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds of up to 50-60 kmph across the state for the next few days. Strong winds uprooted trees, hoardings, and pillars, and parts of houses collapsed in several districts, leaving many injured. The deaths were reported in Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Dahod, Aravalli and Vadodara districts of Gujarat on Monday and Sunday. The IMD has also forecast heavy rainfall in isolated parts of Banaskantha, Kutch, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and Anand districts in the next three days.
A top Madhya Pradesh government official, however, said on Saturday that no such plan has been finalised.
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.
Dharmendra's oeuvre was so phenomenal that there was never a phase in his professional life when he was in danger of falling into a rut, in terms of either the kind of films he starred in or the sort of co-actors he worked with.
Power was also disrupted in many areas as the dust storm swept the national capital late Friday night.
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) net profit rose 15 per cent in the second quarter after excluding the one-off exceptional gain of Rs 307 crore in the previous year. Net profit fell 45 per cent when compared with the previous year's earnings after including a one-off gain.
Karur West district secretary V P Mathyiyalagan was among the three TVK office bearers named in the FIR into the stampede that occurred on September 27 in which at least 41 people died and 60 were injured.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday permitted the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd to pursue its plea with the relevant authority for felling 84 trees at Mumbai's Aarey Colony for constructing train ramps at its car shed project, saying it cannot be "oblivious of serious dislocation" which may be caused in projects involving "large public funds".
A TVK source said Vijay has been asked by the police not to visit the government facility to visit the victims of the September 27 stampede due to the sensitive law and order situation.
'Vivek Vaswani came over to discuss Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman which he was producing with Aziz Mirza as the director.' 'When I asked who was playing the lead, Raju, he said it was an actor called Shah Rukh Khan. "He looks just like Aamir Khan," Vivek added.' 'It was a shock when I met Shah Rukh on the first day of the shoot.' 'He was thin and tanned, with a fat nose and thick lips.'
Heavy overnight rains severely affected parts of the city on Monday, leading to water-logged roads, inundated residential areas and traffic pile-up, as the city braces for more spells in the coming days.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that Chaitanya Baghel, son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, handled over Rs 1,000 crore worth of proceeds from a liquor scam and used Rs 16.7 crore for his real estate project.
Houses in low lying areas of Kerala were flooded in the heavy rains, while the accompanying strong winds uprooted trees, damaged homes and caused power disruptions, throwing normal way of life into disarray across the state.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged Mumbai citizens to take precautions as the city experiences heavy rainfall and anticipates high tides. Waterlogging has been reported in several areas, and officials are taking measures to ensure public safety and minimize disruptions.
A three-hour heavy downpour accompanied by a dust storm hit Delhi-NCR early morning on Friday, causing flight delays and traffic disruptions as seven people were killed in rain-related incidents across north India.
A father searches for his missing daughter after a devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed dozens and left many others untraced.
Some of the worst-affected areas include Manyata Tech Park, BTM Layout, Ejipura Junction, HSR Layout 5th and 6th sectors and Silk Board Junction.
'What we are witnessing is not a freak incidence or a freak occurrence, but a new climate reality where warming oceans, monsoon variability and local geography are combining to produce extreme events.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances