THE HIGH Court of Bombay is hearing a rather unusual case these days. On March 7, Rohit Manohar Joshi, a social activist in Mumbai, moved the court, seeking removal of decorative lights from tree trunks and branches in the city. While such decorations are supposed to be temporary, “trees in Mumbai’s Malabar Hills, Breach Candy, Walkeshwar and Andheri areas have been draped with lights for several months. Similarly, such lighting can be seen in various areas of Thane and Mira Bhayander,” Joshi said in the petition. Last year, a similar plea had reached the office of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Environmentalists Jyoti Nadkarni and B N Kumar wrote an email to the chief minister, opposing the municipal corporation’s plan to beautify the 400-year old Vadale lake at Panvel in Raigad district by illuminating its 1,300-metre shore with colourful leds (light-emitting diodes), artificially lit benches, animal figurines, street motifs and a 5-metre-tall parachute. Subsequently, the municipal corporation replaced the bright leds with dim lighting inside the boundary wall of the lake.
This story is from the November 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 01, 2024 edition of Down To Earth.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara