Bombay High Court permits Adani Group firm to cut mangroves for jetty project

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday permitted Adani Cementation Limited to cut 158 mangrove trees for its proposed jetty project along the Amba river in Maharashtras Raigad district reported news agency PTIA division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre however emphasised the importance of balancing development with environmental conservation and directed the company to strictly adhere to the conditions imposed by regulatory authorities reported PTIWhile the project serves commercial interests it must not lead to excessive depletion of natural resources the Bombay High Court saidThe Bombay High Court said a balance needs to be struck between the necessity of the project which aims at meeting the everincreasing need for cement and at the same time not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs reported PTIIt is necessary to ensure that the project results in minimum damage to the environment and natural resources particularly when the entire planet is coping with the crisis of climate change biodiversity loss and pollution the high court saidThe HC was hearing a petition by Adani Cementation seeking permission to cut mangroves to facilitate the construction of a berthing jetty conveyor corridor and approach road to transport cement clinker and raw materials via waterways reported PTIThe project estimated at Rs 172 crore aims to reduce road congestion and carbon emissions by shifting freight movement to water transportThe high court noted that the project serves a public purpose by supporting infrastructure development in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region which relies heavily on cement transported over long distances reported PTIWe find exhaustive deliberation about the nature of the project covering a jetty to be used for transporting cement through sea or inland waterways instead of road which according to us will achieve the object of easing congestion in roads and help in the reduction of carbon emission by more than 60 per cent the Bombay High Court saidDrug addiction a quasi pandemic strict compliance with rules needed during arrest HCDrug trafficking is a serious crime and drug addiction is a quasi pandemic the Bombay High Court has said stressing the need for authorities to scrupulously follow the mandated rules while arresting a person and during the recovery procedurePeople dealing in drugs in society need to be dealt with an iron fist but it cannot be at the cost of liberty of an individual a single bench of Justice Milind Jadhav said in an order passed on TuesdayThe court made the remarks while granting bail to four persons arrested in 2023 for alleged possession of medicinal drugs under provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances NDPS ActWith inputs from PTI