Category: India

On Friday, the Supreme Court decided not to interfere with a 2022 order from the Madras High Court that canceled a show cause notice against Isha Foundation. This foundation, started by spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, was accused of building without permission at Velliangiri Hills in Coimbatore between 2006 and 2014.

The notice was issued on November 19, 2021, because Isha Foundation allegedly did not get the required environmental clearance (EC). The Madras High Court ruled in December 2022 that Isha Foundation is an “educational institution,” which means it does not need to follow some environmental rules.

In the recent ruling, Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said the yoga and meditation center of the foundation won’t face any harsh actions for now. However, they reminded Isha Foundation to follow all environmental rules given by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

The judges made it clear that their decision should not be seen as permission for illegal building practices, as it was based on the special circumstances of this case.

During the hearing, Tamil Nadu’s advocate general, PS Raman, explained that the government just wanted to ensure their ruling doesn’t act as a “forever pass” and should not prevent future inspections of the property. The Supreme Court agreed, emphasizing there is no free pass when it comes to following environmental laws.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court criticized TNPCB for taking too long to challenge the High Court’s 2022 decision. The court wanted to know why the state didn’t act sooner, saying, “When the state comes late, we become suspicious.”

On Friday, rescuers worked hard to save many Border Roads Organisation (BRO) workers stuck after an avalanche hit in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. The avalanche was caused by a glacier burst and happened near Mana village, close to the India-Tibet border and about five kilometers from the famous Badrinath temple.

Mana village is at a high altitude of 3,200 meters. The avalanche buried eight containers and one shed with 57 workers inside. Some of the containers have been found, but rescuers are still looking for the others.

By Friday evening, at least 16 workers were rescued, according to Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Thankfully, there have been no reports of anyone being injured.

However, the rescue efforts are challenging because of rain and snowfall, which are making it hard for helicopters to help. Images shared on social media showed army personnel carrying a person on a stretcher through deep snow, with more snow still falling. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy snowfall, expecting more than 12 centimeters (5 inches) in the area.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are also facing delays in reaching the workers due to the harsh weather.

This situation reminds us of a tragic event in February 2021 when a glacier collapse in Uttarakhand claimed the lives of at least 80 people, and another avalanche in 2022 caused 16 deaths.

New Delhi – The Supreme Court of India recently told the government to think about getting experts to help protect the environment from possible damage caused by the Vadhavan port in Maharashtra. A group of judges, including Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, looked at a report about the port from the attorney general, R. Venkataramani. The report stated that no major construction work is happening right now.

The judges said, “The attorney general has shared a detailed report about the Vadhavan Port project. Currently, only land acquisition work is moving forward, and they expect to have the physical possession of the land by October 2025. Road construction is also set to begin in October 2025.”

They further explained that a survey for land reclamation (where land is added or reclaimed from the sea) is planned for July 2025, starting after the land for the shore area is acquired. The court emphasized that land acquisition would still need to follow any further decisions made in this case.

The issue will be discussed again on May 6. The court suggested that the government looks into having experts involved and allowed them to come to the court if they need guidance.

This discussion arose because the National Fishworkers Forum and Conservation Action Trust appealed against a previous decision by the Bombay High Court. They challenged a certificate that allowed construction for the new port at Vadhavan, which the Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority had issued. This authority had given a “no objection certificate” to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority for developing this new greenfield port.

In June last year, the government approved the building of a ₹76,200 crore all-weather deep draft major port at Vadhavan. This project will be built by the Vadhavan Port Project Limited company, a partnership between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and the Maharashtra Maritime Board, with shares of 74% and 26%, respectively.

On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told Delhi Police to make fighting interstate gangs their top job. He asked them to be tough and serious about this issue during a big security meeting in Delhi. The meeting included Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other important officials.

Shah said police should work hard to break up drug trafficking networks. He emphasized that they need to tackle the drug problem straight away and make sure no one can get away with it.

He also raised concerns about illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya people. Shah said it is vital for national security to take strict action against those who help these immigrants enter and live in India. He insisted that these unauthorized individuals must be found and sent back to their countries.

Amit Shah asked the police to help solve traffic jams in the city. He told police officers to visit local areas, listen to people’s complaints, and work on quick solutions to ensure smooth traffic.

Additionally, he told the Delhi government to prepare a plan to handle waterlogging issues during monsoon. He also mentioned that from now on, permission from Delhi Police will not be necessary for construction projects. Lastly, he encouraged the Delhi government to hire special prosecutors to speed up cases from the 2020 riots.

Four student leaders from the Government Holkar Science College in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have been suspended after they held around 150 staff members hostage. This happened because the college denied their request to celebrate a Holi festival. The students were planning an event called “Holkar Ka Holi Fest” on March 7, which included DJ performances and a fun water dance, for which they wanted to charge an entry fee of ₹150.

The college administration turned down their request for the event, but the students did not listen. They put up posters around the campus promoting the festival on February 23, even though they hadn’t received permission from the principal. After the posters were taken down by college authorities, the students protested, and on February 24, they closed the door of Yashwant Hall from the outside and cut off the power.

During this protest, around 150 people, including female professors, were trapped for about 30 minutes. The principal, Anamika Jain, said an investigation found the four students guilty of serious misbehavior. As a result, they were expelled and told to collect their transfer certificates. The college, which was founded in 1891 by the Holkar rulers of Indore, is currently under investigation by the district administration.

India has called for more openness in how the UN Security Council and its working groups operate. Speaking at a recent UN meeting, Ambassador P. Harish explained that when requests to add people to the UN’s blacklist of terrorists are denied or delayed, the reasons are often kept secret. He referred to this lack of information as a “disguised veto,” meaning it acts like a veto but isn’t officially recognized as one.

Harish stressed the importance of reforming the Security Council to make it work better and be more transparent. He pointed out that while decisions to add individuals to the terrorist list are shared publicly, the reasons for rejecting these listings remain hidden, limiting accountability. This lack of transparency is especially concerning given that China, a close ally of Pakistan, often blocks India’s attempts to blacklist Pakistani terrorists.

Harish also lamented that while many countries agree on the necessity for reform, little progress has been made. He urged all UN member states to stop just talking about reform and take action instead. He emphasized that the path to real change begins with clear plans and timelines.

Additionally, he mentioned that when peacekeeping missions are planned, the concerns of countries providing troops and police need to be considered. As the largest contributor of peacekeeping forces, India believes this is crucial.

He urged the Security Council to remove outdated issues that no longer matter today and to engage more meaningfully with all UN member states. Simply summarizing the Security Council’s activities in reports isn’t enough; those reports should be more thorough and help member countries understand how the Council is functioning.

Harish concluded by saying the Security Council needs major changes to fit today’s world. Its current structure has not changed much in 80 years and doesn’t reflect contemporary realities. To effectively carry out its mission and meet people’s expectations, the Council must be reformed to serve its purpose better.

New Delhi: India and the European Union (EU) are meeting to talk about a new free trade agreement (FTA). This meeting is important, especially since US President Donald Trump has threatened to place high tariffs on goods coming from the EU, which can impact trade for many countries.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in New Delhi with 20 other EU leaders. This is their first big visit since they started their new jobs last year. They will be meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other important ministers like S. Jaishankar (External Affairs), Piyush Goyal (Commerce), and Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance).

Von der Leyen has called India a “strategic ally,” especially during these times of global competition. She said, “In times of conflict, you need trustworthy friends. For Europe, India is one of those friends.” They plan to discuss how to strengthen their partnership.

India will bring up the issue of new laws in the EU like a carbon tax and rules against deforestation that could affect small Indian businesses. The EU wants to help its smaller businesses sell more products, and they should also help Indian businesses in return.

Important trade talks will take place during this visit, leading into a series of discussions scheduled in Brussels in mid-March. These talks were paused for six months and are now resuming. Both sides hope for friendly discussions, especially because of the potential tariffs from the US.

Hours before Von der Leyen’s arrival, Trump announced plans for big tariffs on EU goods, claiming the EU is hurting the US economy. He plans to charge 25% on cars and other products. The EU has said they will respond strongly to these tariffs.

Von der Leyen’s team aims to build better ties with India, focusing on trade and security. They will discuss high-tech areas like telecommunications and artificial intelligence at their meeting.

Both sides also want to work together more on defense matters, with talks about sharing information and joint exercises between the Indian Navy and the EU navies.

Von der Leyen started her visit by honoring Mahatma Gandhi. After their meeting, Jaishankar praised the importance of strengthening ties between India and the EU. While discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, India made it clear it believes that dialogue between Russia and Ukraine is the best way forward.

The EU is India’s biggest trading partner, with trade between the two exceeding $137 billion this year. They have been discussing a free trade agreement since 2007 but only resumed talks in 2022 after many years.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, recently watched a test that launched strategic cruise missiles. He said the country must be ready to use its nuclear weapons as a form of protection. According to state media, the test aimed to send a warning to “enemies” and show that North Korea is prepared for any confrontation.

Kim emphasized that having strong weapons is the best way to keep the country safe. He claimed it’s the duty of North Korea’s military to protect the nation’s independence and security using their nuclear defenses. The missile test took place over the sea near the west coast of Korea.

South Korea’s military noticed signs of the missile launches and tracked several missiles that were shot off around 8 a.m. on Wednesday. North Korea has been working on cruise missiles for a long time, which can carry nuclear warheads. These types of missiles often cause less worry compared to ballistic missiles since they are not outright banned by international rules.

While Kim didn’t name any specific countries in his warnings, he has continued to speak harshly about the United States and South Korea. This news comes after Kim visited military schools, stressing the need for loyalty and better training for young officers.

In New Delhi, the IT and Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw talked about how news publishers aren’t getting enough money from big tech companies like Google and Meta. He asked the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) to suggest clear steps to help news outlets shift from traditional media to digital platforms. Vaishnaw emphasized the need for fair payment for quality content created after careful checks.

Sanjay Jaju, the information secretary, added that the government is thinking about new rules to ensure fairness and modernization in the news industry. He pointed out that many media companies create great content but aren’t getting enough money in return, which could hurt quality journalism.

At the same conference, IndiaAI CEO Abhishek Singh announced plans to work with Prasar Bharati and All India Radio. This partnership aims to gather news in multiple languages, which will help people creating AI models. Singh encouraged news publishers to share their multilingual content, which can be valuable for developing AI applications.

Singh mentioned that the first version of the IndiaAI Datasets Platform will launch soon and that they have chosen 30 useful applications aimed at helping farmers and diagnosing diseases. There are ongoing efforts to clean and organize government data that can help develop AI services too.

During the event, IT Secretary S. Krishnan stated that existing laws are good enough to handle problems like deepfakes and misinformation, although new rules might be introduced if needed. He said AI can benefit society far more than it can harm it, and regulations should support growth while protecting people.

The topic of AI and copyright was also important during the conference. The DNPA and some of its members are involved in a lawsuit over copyright issues concerning AI-generated content. Jaju expressed concerns that AI often favors certain stories without paying original creators, which raises important questions about ownership.

Jaju highlighted the need for a fair revenue-sharing system to keep quality journalism alive. He warned that misinformation and sensational journalism could hurt democracy, and the current laws are sometimes misused to avoid accountability for spreading false news. He urged media platforms to take responsibility for the dangerous effects of their algorithms.