Thread by @VaishaliRawat

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As we live thru a compounding and existential environmental, ecological crisis - the judiciary/CJI office's mandate to safeguard our environmental future was never more urgent & relevant. But there have been opportunities lost and at very heavy costs:
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https://twitter.com/advsanjoy/status/1844651961171222539

1. Great Indian Bustard Judgment: While being hailed as ‘a landmark environment judgement’, it has actually weakened protections for grassland ecosystems, pushed a critically #endangered species to near-certain extinction
With <100 GIBs left globally,

2/india.mongabay.com/2024/04/climat…

Aug '24: K'taka's population is down to 2 GIBs, extinct in MP, 1 or 2 in Maharashtra, 4 in Gujarat,all female!
In fact, this judgement modified an *existing* SC order that mandated undergrounding of all power lines in GIB habitat,for being "expensive unsafe & impractical" for
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...for power companies(!)
The judgment, which spoke the language of #greenwashing for #renewable companies, was hailed as a landmark environmental judgment for recognising the right against climate change as a Fundamental Right.
Quoting @sumitdookia @MongabayIndia 👇🏽
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2. Forest Conservation Amendment Act: In response to a PIL challenging the constitutionality of the FCAA - a disastrous act which will have catastrophic impacts on India's forests - the SC had issued an interim order upholding the landmark Godavarman judgment,
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... which retains the expansive definition of forest, hence protection, mandates following the original FC Act for any diversion) and directs the government to make a consolidated record of land deemed as forest by states and UTs until a final verdict is reached.
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This order is being extensively, and blatantly, flouted-by the ministry and states as an analysis of the FAC and Regional Committee minutes show (to be made public soon).
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Further analysis of the data shared by govt showed glaring holes in identifying and notifying India's unclassed forest land:

8/thehindu.com/sci-tech/energ…

I understand that despite the petition being listed, the CJI, whose tenure ends in < a month, has not given a date for hearing it and issuing a final verdict. The question to ask is why? Even though the SC is *the only body with the power* to strike down the amended #FCAA.
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A lost opportunity—one with irrevocable impacts on India’s #ecology—to safeguard national legislation to ensure protection for our forests, wildlife, communities, in the battle against the climate crisis
Read about the disastrous impacts of the FCAA:

10/frontline.thehindu.com/environment/th…

@UnrollHelper