Supreme Court halts tree felling in Hyderabad’s Kancha Gachibowli
The Supreme Court has intervened to halt the felling of trees in Kancha Gachibowli, Hyderabad, following widespread protests. The court issued an interim stay on deforestation activities across 400 acres of land near the University of Hyderabad campus, citing ecological concerns and the presence of scheduled animal species. The Telangana High Court had earlier paused development plans for the land, which is earmarked for IT infrastructure by the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).
Students, environmental activists, and conservationists have opposed the government’s plans, arguing that the land is ecologically sensitive and home to diverse flora and fauna, including peacocks and rare rock formations. Protests intensified after reports emerged of large-scale tree felling over the weekend, prompting the Supreme Court to demand explanations from the state government regarding the urgency of the activity.
The court directed the Telangana High Court Registrar to inspect the site and submit a report, while ordering the state Chief Secretary to ensure no further deforestation occurs. Protesters continue to demand that the land be declared a national park to preserve its biodiversity.
Source: The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, The Hindu
Smart cities mission ends, but incomplete
As the deadline for the Smart Cities Mission ends on March 31, 2025, it is evident that only 18 out of 100 cities have completed projects that were designed to make them urban planning role models to improve the quality of life. However, just 7% of the projects are incomplete. Cities that have fully implemented their projects include Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat and Vadodara.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that ₹47,538 crore out of ₹48,000 crore in Central assistance had been released to cities, which had spent ₹45,772 crore. According to the Smart Cities Mission dashboard, cities have completed 7,491 projects worth ₹1.50 lakh crore, with 567 projects (7%) worth ₹14,357 crore still ongoing.
Water, sanitation and hygiene projects accounted for the biggest expenditure so far (₹46,730 crore), followed by smart mobility (₹37,362 crore) and smart governance (₹16,262 crore).
Source: Business Standard, Indian Express
Read more: Opinion: Nothing smart about Centre’s Smart Cities Mission
Electric bike taxi services in Mumbai
Electric bike taxi services will be permitted in Maharashtra’s cities with a population of more than one lakh. It will benefit passengers travelling in urban areas for up to 15 kilometres. This policy was approved during the first Cabinet meeting after the Budget session, towards a pollution-free Maharashtra.
The e-bike taxis would aim to provide the option of “last mile connectivity” as well as cheap travel, with drivers, including women, between 20 and 50 years old. This move is expected to create 20,000 jobs in urban areas and 10,000 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The policy prioritised women’s safety through proper partition between front and pillion riders, as well as a roof cover for the monsoon. The revenue model is expected to provide affordable tariffs for single passengers.
Source: Indian Express, The Hindu
Delhi to try artificial rain to fight air pollution
The Delhi government aims to trigger artificial rain through cloud seeding to fight air pollution, partnering with IIT Kanpur. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa chaired a high-level meeting on April 3, to review the whole process.
It would involve sending some chemicals into clouds to trigger precipitation, with the institute citing high success rate in previous experiments. It is expected to be tested on an experimental basis in May. The government might also install a static artificial rain system using natural ionization technology.
The minister also reviewed dust mitigation measures at construction sites, mooting a 14-point action plan mandating anti-smog guns, green nets, vehicle cleaning, and proper debris management. Artificial intelligence can be used to monitor violations, he said.
The trial will be carried out in an area in outer Delhi, with the final site selection to be made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and IIT Kanpur.
Source: The New Indian Express, Business Standard
Read more: Delhi’s air pollution crisis: What the odd-even rule can, or cannot, address
Water management important to fight GBS
Fresh, suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases are emerging in Pune, according to officials. Since the beginning of March, the number of cases has declined, but among the more than 200 confirmed cases, as of a few days ago, about 12 deaths have occurred, while about 24 patients are still in the ICU.
Since the beginning of this year, patients have been crowding hospitals, with the numbers peaking in February, prompting the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take swift action. Strangely, the city’s seven million residents are reported to have faced large outbreaks of GBS, among the largest in the world.
The condition makes the body’s immune system attack its peripheral nerves, and patients may lose their ability to walk and, in extreme cases, even breathe or swallow, leading to ICU admission. Most patients recover, but some don’t, and many undergo long-lasting neurological consequences. GBS can be triggered by bacterial and viral infections, through contaminated water and food and in some cases, by infection from the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni or a norovirus infection.
They are associated with diarrhoea, vomiting and sometimes fevers due to a few contaminated water sources, such as wells, or reverse osmosis (RO) plants. There has been concern about untreated sewage and wastewater flowing into Pune’s water source, the Bhima River.
It has been noted that pollution control boards are understaffed. Flaws in regulatory design have tended to favour polluters. A lack of expertise in the boards, coupled with frequent transfers and vacancies in important posts, has further hampered their functioning.
Source: The Indian Express
[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]