Rulings On Secularism, Laws On Environment Make India Vibrant Republic

It was seven decades ago, on 26 January 1950 that the Constitution of India came into effect replacing the erstwhile Government of India Act of 1935 as the governing document of India and transformed the nation we know today as India, into a Republic for the first time in history. It is the longest written constitution of any country on earth and Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the chairman of the drafting committee, is widely considered to be its chief architect. And, it is this very Constitution of India which provides for ‘Secularism’ as discussed so widely and actively analysed across platforms of late besides the protection and improvement of the ‘Environment’ through a wide range of Articles – as Directive Principles directing the State to promulgate in the regard as well as guaranteeing the same through Fundamental Rights.

Struck by ‘swarm’ of tremors, Palghar’s woes keep escalating

What is more alarming than the repeated tremors that have rocked Maharashtra’s Palghar district is the discrepancy between the accounts of officials at various levels and other stakeholders. The Dahanu and Talasari talukas have undergone over a 1,000 “earthquakes” since November 2018, data from National Centre for Seismology (NCS) shows.

Mumbai’s ‘upgrading’ and at a price!

“It’s impossible to sit by a street and sketch anywhere in Mumbai,” says Mumbai-based line-drawing artist Vaidehi Goradia. “It’s important for an artist to interact in public space with people and tackle issues that are social in nature, like say, women rights, through paintings or sketches. Now, that is becoming increasingly difficult with the lack of safe open zones in the city,” says Goradia.

New CRZ Rules Ignore Coastal Concerns, May Trigger Disaster

The new Coastal Regulations Zone 2018 notifications threaten to wreak havoc across India's coasts, along the Western coast of India, particularly along the Konkan coastline, directly affecting Goa and Mumbai all set to succumb to the greed of a profit-driven real estate industry.

Fire In Aarey Augurs Trouble For ‘Developed’ Future

Around 6.20 pm on December 3, a fire broke out in a forested area near the Aarey Colony in Goregaon, Mumbai. Till 7.30 pm, the fire remained confined to a zone within 3.5 kms from the spot of the first but, swiftly,  by 8 pm, it was escalated to Level III as the fire department found it difficult to control the blaze owing to winds from the hills and the fire threateningly advanced to residential areas.

MoEFCC Bends Norms for Better ‘ease of doing business’ Rankings

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on November 15th 2018 issued a notification easing the green norms for the building and construction sector wherein residential projects upto 1.5 lakh square metres (built-up area) will not require ‘prior environmental clearance’. Also, urban local bodies such as Municipalities will now have the power to grant building permission. The move has sent ripples of fear and anticipation among environmentalists and green activists across the nation.

Implementation, Viable Alternatives Need Political Will For Plastic Ban To Succeed

For a ban that arrived with a bang, it seems to be fading away even before it could take effect. The Maharashtra government has backtracked to allow groceries and general stores to continue to use plastic for packaging after shop-keepers associations complained to state environment minister Ramdas Kadam. Already, environmentalists are saying that the government will soon give in to the powerful plastic manufacturers’ lobby and brings in relaxations.

Elephanta Island Gets Powerful, Finally

The Elephanta island, or Gharapuri, to use its original name, is the site of the Elephanta caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and receives more than 20 lakh tourists every year. However, the three villages on the island, home to about 1,200 people, have not had electricity since independence. The villagers lived in darkness – a shame, and a mark of administrative and political apathy. Neither the media nor rights groups played up this fact.

Stunned By Law Mine, Goa Govt Treads Gingerly

In a breather for the mining industry, the Supreme Court on April 4 allowed the export of iron ore from loading points on river jetties in Goa while disposing a joint special leave application filed by Vedanta Resources and another local mining company. The bench of justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta maintained that the iron ore for which royalty has been paid to the state government and has been extracted on or before March 15 this year should be allowed to be transported.

Mumbai's Metro Battles Activists, Fears, Divine Fury

The storm is yet to die out over the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited's (MMRC) taking over 30 hectares of the famed Aarey colony, a green belt of Mumbai, when another application has come in from MMRC demanding another 12,000 sq metres of land. The colony in Goregaon, inaugurated in 1951, was the result of the vision of Dara Khurody, a dairy pioneer of India whose name is taken in the same breath as Father of the White Revolution, Verghese Kurien and Tribhuvandas K Patel.

Matheran Risks Slipping Off Track

“It’s a national shame,” rues Ali Akbar Peerbhoy, grandson of the founder of the Matheran hill railway, which plies the Matheran toy train. For today, the railway is struggling for survival. The red soil of the hill station, the horse rides, the silence of the forested hills are all under threat, along with the railway. A haphazard maze of crude roads and guesthouses has mushroomed on the pristine hill. Pushy touts and uncouth horse-ride vendors operate in flagrant violation of the law. The local authorities turn a blind eye to the ugly, skewed ‘development’.