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Time of India
13 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
HC stays Morjim beautification work over green concerns
Panaji: The high court on Tuesday ordered an immediate stay on the beautification work being carried out on Morjim beach through Goa Tourism Development Corporation. The HC issued a notice to govt after a petitioner showed the court pictures purportedly of the site where sand dunes were being destroyed with heavy machinery. Captain Gerald Fernandes, a former Indian Army officer and resident of Morjim, filed the PIL seeking urgent intervention of the HC to halt the ongoing work at the ecologically sensitive Morjim beach. This site is an officially designated turtle nesting area for the endangered olive ridley turtles , safeguarded under the Wildlife Protection Act and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011. Fernandes, represented by advocate Om D'Costa, submitted to the HC that the beach beautification project, valued at Rs 9.8 crore by GTDC, is proceeding without mandatory statutory approvals and without a construction licence from the panchayat. The flattening of the sand dunes on the beach is being carried out, the plea said. The development activity poses an imminent and irreparable threat to the turtle nesting habitat, sand dunes, and natural ecosystem of Morjim beach, the plea said. The panchayat and Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority granted NOCs in apparent disregard of the site's protected status and its proximity within 200 metres to the high tide line, Fernandes submitted to the division bench comprising justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Enjoy 100% Pure New Zealand and fly Air New Zealand Fly Air New Zealand Undo Fernandes, who is a recipient of Goa govt's wildlife conservation award for protecting the olive ridley habitat at Morjim, has also been recently nominated by the HC to the noise monitoring committee. He stated that beaches and their attendant sand dune vegetation are beautiful in themselves and don't need concrete props from any external agency. 'In fact, the sand dunes and sand dune vegetation have major ecological functions and provide ecosystem services,' Fernandes submitted to the HC. He said, 'The project proponent is actively committing to destroying Goa's natural tourism assets instead of protecting them.' GTDC has been involved in launching a similar project to beautify Baina beach at Vasco, which was cancelled by the HC. A second beach beautification project at the same location a decade later was also cancelled on the grounds of violation of the CRZ notification, which is pending before the Supreme Court after GTDC challenged it, Fernandes said.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
PMC bans paper cups and plastic items in offices
Notably, the use of paper cups for tea has also been prohibited due to their inner plastic lining, which makes them non-biodegradable. (HT) The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has banned the use of plastic and paper cups, as well as other single-use plastic items, across all its offices. The move aligns with the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Storage) Notification, 2018, issued by the state's Environment Department. In a circular dated July 10, additional municipal commissioner Prithviraj BP directed all PMC departments to immediately stop using plastic files, bottles, cups, and even plastic-coated bouquets. Notably, the use of paper cups for tea has also been prohibited due to their inner plastic lining, which makes them non-biodegradable. The circular emphasises that such non-degradable waste poses a serious risk to public health and the environment, and mandates strict adherence to the 2018 rules and their subsequent amendments. Citing research by IIT Kharagpur, the circular notes that drinking just three cups of tea or coffee a day from paper cups can lead to the ingestion of around 75,000 microplastic particles. These, along with harmful elements such as palladium, chromium, and cadmium, have been linked to health issues including hormonal imbalance, reproductive disorders, cancer, and neurological complications. 'All heads of departments must ensure that officers and staff in their sections stop using these banned items with immediate effect. Even paper cups with plastic lining must be avoided when serving tea,' said Prithviraj BP According to officials, the initiative is part of PMC's broader campaign to reduce plastic waste and encourage sustainable practices throughout the city. The Solid Waste Management Department and zonal offices have also been instructed to ensure strict compliance. Environmental activists have welcomed the decision and called on other government and private offices to adopt similar measures. 'This is a much-needed step. Paper cups are often seen as eco-friendly, but their plastic lining makes them hard to recycle and hazardous to health. This ban will encourage people to explore truly sustainable alternatives,' one activist said.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Draft coastal zone maps are flawed: Puducherry fishers
PUDUCHERRY: Members of the Meenavar Viduthalai Vengaigal, a fishermen's rights organisation, along with cadres of the CPI (M), staged a protest near Swadeshi Mills on Friday, demanding urgent rectification of the draft Coastal Zone Management Plans (CZMP). Leading the demonstration, R Mangayarselvan, founder of the organisation, alleged that the draft CZMP maps had failed to incorporate vital community assets essential for the livelihood and sustenance of the fishing community. He pointed out that critical zones such as fishing areas, breeding and spawning grounds, net-mending spaces, fish auction sites, and designated areas for long-term housing — all mandated under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification — had been omitted. Mangayarselvan further alleged that 551.2 acres of common property in Puducherry's coastal villages and another 175.04 acres in Karaikal had been deliberately excluded from the draft plans. 'These omissions pose a direct threat to the rights, traditions, and livelihoods of coastal fisherfolk. The draft must be revised to reflect ground realities and the provisions of the amended 2024 CRZ Notification,' he said. The protest also drew political support, with Leader of the Opposition R Siva and DMK convenor joining the agitation and endorsing the community's demands.
India Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
30 bulldozers to raze forest overnight? Top court raps Telangana over tree felling
The Supreme Court expressed sharp disapproval over the use of bulldozers to clear forest land in Kancha Gachibowli, Telangana, stating that such overnight operations cannot be justified as sustainable development. Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, who is heading the bench hearing the suo motu case, remarked during the proceedings that while he supported the cause of sustainable development, the nature and speed of deforestation in this case were am myself an advocate for sustainable development but that does not mean that overnight you should employ 30 bulldozers and clear all the jungle,' the Chief Justice said during the matter relates to the clearing of approximately 400 acres of green cover in the Kancha Gachibowli forest area by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) for the development of information technology infrastructure. The rapid felling of trees, reportedly over a long weekend, had led to widespread public concern and judicial intervention. Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, appointed as the amicus curiae in the matter, informed the Court that certain private intervenors intended to respond to the state government's affidavit. The bench agreed to grant time for these responses and re-listed the matter for detailed hearing on August an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had strongly criticised the actions of the state authorities, warning them of contempt proceedings and even suggesting that erring officials could be held in temporary prisons constructed at the site if they failed to comply with Court orders. The Court had directed that restoring the status quo at the site was of utmost priority and had asked the State Wildlife Warden to take immediate steps to protect wildlife impacted by the also granted the state government time to respond to the Central Empowered Committee's spot inspection report and ordered the submission of an action plan to restore the forest to its previous background of the case traces back to a government order issued in 2024 by TSIIC, which sought to alienate forest land for IT development. Although TSIIC claimed to have acquired the land in 2012, the tree-felling gained momentum recently, prompting the filing of multiple public interest litigations before the Telangana High Court. Petitioners argued that the government's actions were in blatant disregard of Supreme Court rulings in TN Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India and Ashok Kumar Sharma v. Union of India, which had directed all states to identify forests and forest-like areas as per the dictionary definition of 'forest'.advertisementThe petitioners further contended that the state had not conducted any environmental assessment as required under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, and alleged that the land was being auctioned off for the construction of an IT park without due defence, the Telangana government maintained that the land in question was already classified as industrial and dismissed the petitioners' claims as being based merely on Google Earth April 2, the Telangana High Court had initially stayed the felling of trees until April 3, with the matter being adjourned to April 24 in view of the Supreme Court's intervention. The top court is now set to hear the matter in detail on August 13.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Telangana
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Indian Politician Wants to Ban Climbing on Sacred Kangchenjunga
Authorities in Sikkim, India, are demanding that Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, be banned to climbers out of respect for local deities. When British pioneers Joe Brown and George Band climbed 8,586m Kangchenjunga for the first time 70 years ago, they stopped some meters short of the highest point out of respect for the religious beliefs of the local communities in Sikkim. For them, the protective deity Dzoe-Nga, also worshipped as Pho-lha, lives on its white slopes. For years, subsequent expeditions followed that tradition, but this sign of respect was eventually abandoned. Nowadays, climbers focus instead on ensuring that they reach the true summit of Kangchenjunga, which is easy to mistake for other points on its jagged ridge. Kangchenjunga lies in the northeastern corner of Nepal on the border with Sikkim (India) and is also very close to Tibet. The peak has four main climbing routes. Three are in Nepal, and only the eastern one goes up from Sikkim. The Sikkim route has only been climbed three times. The most straightforward route, up the Southwest Face in Nepal, was the chosen line for several early attempts, and the one where the expedition led by Charles Evans succeeded for the first time in 1955. For decades, there were attempts and summits from the north side of the mountain, also in Nepalese territory, but the Southwest Face soon became the normal route and the one offered to commercial teams. Last week, the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, asked India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, to ensure that the footprints of climbers no longer deface the slopes of Kangchenjunga. Climbing Kangchenjunga from the Sikkim route has not been an option since 2000, when all ascents from Sikkim were officially banned. This is the first time that Sikkim authorities raised their voices about the matter since then. The problem is, Tamang wants the ban to extend to the entire mountain, including the routes in Nepal, not just from Sikkim. While the measure is unlikely to succeed, it does highlight the sensitivities around the mountain. "Scaling this sacred peak is not only a matter of serious concern but also a violation of both the prevailing legal provisions and the deeply held religious beliefs of the people of Sikkim,' Tamang said. He bases his demands on the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, which prohibits expeditions to sacred sites, as well as Sikkim Government Notification No. 70/HOME/2001, which reaffirmed the state's limited ban on summiting Kangchenjunga, reported. Ironically, the call for a ban was prompted by a climb launched by the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) of Arunachal Pradesh. On that Indian expedition, five members summited via the normal route in Nepal on May 18, together with their Nepalese guides. Other Indian climbers were also on the mountain, including those with a joint Nepali-Indian army expedition. This year, about 30 climbers summited Kangchenjunga despite unstable weather. Others had to retreat due to harsh conditions. There were also some rescues, and one climber died while attempting to reach the top. Nepal's Department of Tourism has no restrictions on the number of climbers on any mountain. In the case of Kangchenjunga, 78 permits were granted to foreigners this season. All climbers were supported by local guides and usually took advantage of brief periods of calm. Kangchenjunga has become increasingly popular among commercial high-altitude climbers. Virtually all expeditions take the normal, Southwest Face route from Nepal. India cannot legislate on the part of the mountain beyond its borders, and it is unlikely that Nepal will do so. Nepal also has sacred peaks banned to expeditions. The best known is Machhapuchhre (6,993m) in the Annapurna region, considered sacred for the Gurung people and never climbed, as far as we know. Sherpas revere mountains, and while they agree to climb them, they always perform puja (offering) ceremonies to ask permission for passage from the mountain gods. Similar cases of sacred mountains in nearby countries forbidden for climbers include Tibet's striking Mt. Kailash and Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan. At 7,570m, the latter is the highest unclimbed peak in the world, and it should continue to remain so for many years. According to some sources, the silhouette of Kangchenjunga's summit points resemble the shape of a sleeping Buddha, especially when seen from the southwest. In his letter, Chief Minister Tamang recalled that the name of the mountain means the Five Treasures of the High Snow. It refers to five hidden virtues that will only be revealed to devotees if the world is in serious danger. In his extensive report about the Kangchenjunga summit area for Rodolphe Popier ends up with the following words: The magnetic attraction of Kangchenjunga will keep attracting mountain lovers from all over the world, maybe for something more than climbing and/or peak-bagging? As Doug Scott recalled it in his last book, [Kangchenjunga] is the 8,000m summit with the greatest religious significance.
