Articles on 17 May 2025

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Parasnath Hill Dispute Latest News
• A Sacred Hill Revered by Two Communities
• An Old Conflict Over Sacred Rights
• Situation After Independence
• Parasnath Hill Dispute FAQs

Parasnath Hill Dispute Latest News

• The Jharkhand High Court directed the state government to enforce an existing ban on meat, alcohol, and other intoxicants on a sacred hill in Giridih district. 
• Known as Marang Buru to the Santal Adivasi community and Parasnath to Jains, the hill is a site of religious significance for both groups and has been at the center of a long-standing inter-community conflict.

A Sacred Hill Revered by Two Communities

• Jain Significance
  • Parasnath Hill holds immense religious importance for Jains, as it is believed that 20 of the 24 tirthankaras, including Parshvanatha (after whom the hill is named), attained nirvana here. 
  • Today, the hill features over 20 Jain temples and pilgrimage sites, symbolizing its deep historical and spiritual roots in Jain tradition.
• Santal Significance
  • For the Santal Adivasi community, the hill is known as Marang Buru or "Great Mountain" and is the abode of their supreme animist deity. 
  • It houses sacred sites like Jug Jaher Than and Dishom Manjhi Than, where vital rituals are performed. 
  • The hill also serves as a spiritual and cultural hub during the annual Hudur Durga festival in December.
  • The tribal council Lo Bir Baisi convenes at its base to resolve major disputes.
    • It was with a resolution of this council that the historic Santal Hul was launched in 1855. 
    • Led by Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, the rebellion targeted the oppressive dikus (outsiders), including za- mindars, mahajans, and British officals.
• Source of Conflict
  • The dual sanctity has made the hill a shared yet contested religious space between the two communities.

An Old Conflict Over Sacred Rights

• Historical Claims and Disputes
  • While Jains claim that an ancient king once donated Parasnath Hill to their community, historical records challenge this. 
  • According to the 1957 Hazaribagh District Gazetteer, the oldest Jain temple on the hill dates only to 1765 AD. 
  • The formal dispute between the Santals and Jains over the hill was first documented in 1911, during the preparation of the record-of-rights.
• The Sendra Festival and Religious Friction
  • A key point of contention is the Sendra festival—a three-day ritual hunt during the full moon of Baisakh, considered a rite of passage for Santal men. 
  • The hill, called Marang Buru by Santals, becomes the center of this religious and cultural practice. 
  • For Jains, who adhere strictly to non-violence and vegetarianism, this tradition is deeply troubling.
• Legal Battles and Customary Rights
  • Early efforts by the Jain community to legally halt the hunting practice failed. 
  • In 1917, the Patna High Court dismissed the suit, terming the Jains’ grievance as “hyper sentimental.” 
  • Ultimately, the Privy Council—the highest court in British India—upheld the Santals’ customary right to hunt on the hill, recognizing their longstanding traditions.

Situation After Independence

• Loss of Constitutional Protections
  • After India’s independence, the rights of Adivasis over Marang Buru began to decline due to increasing state control over forests and pressure from non-tribal communities (dikus). 
  • In 1972, the same year the Wildlife Protection Act was passed, Adivasi villages around the hill lost their Fifth Schedule status, stripping them of constitutional protections that allowed forest usage.
• Impact on Religious Practices
  • This led to restrictions on traditional rituals, especially at Jug Jaher Than, the sacred Santal site. 
  • Between the 1970s and Jharkhand’s formation in 2000, Santals faced growing limitations on access and gatherings at the hill.
• Recent Government Directives and Legal Orders
  • In 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued a memorandum banning alcohol, meat, and eggs within a 25 km radius of the hill—covering 99 mostly Adivasi villages—to honor Jain sentiments. 
  • This included restrictions in Anganwadi centers and primary schools. 
  • The Jharkhand High Court’s recent order enforced this directive.

Parasnath Hill Dispute FAQs

Q1. Why is Parasnath Hill important to Jains?

Ans. It’s believed 20 Tirthankaras attained nirvana here; it houses major temples and pilgrimage sites.

Q2. What does the hill mean to Santals?

Ans. Known as Marang Buru, it's home to their supreme deity and vital for rituals like Hudur Durga.

Q3. What triggered the conflict?

Ans. Clashing religious practices—Santal hunting vs Jain non-violence—created disputes over rituals and sacred space.

Q4. What was the 2023 government order?

Ans. A ban on meat, alcohol, and eggs within 25 km to respect Jain values, affecting tribal villages.

Q5. What is the Sendra festival?

Ans. A traditional Santal hunting ritual on the hill, which Jains oppose as it conflicts with their beliefs.

Source: TH | FL

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Kolkata-Northeast Sea Route Latest News
• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)
• Strategic Highway to Transform North-East Connectivity
• Kolkata-Northeast Sea Route FAQs

Kolkata-Northeast Sea Route Latest News

• India is planning a new highway from Shillong (Meghalaya) to Silchar (Assam) as part of a broader multi-modal transport project connecting to Myanmar, which will create a sea route to Kolkata that bypasses Bangladesh. 
• This move is seen as a strategic response to Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who recently claimed that Northeast India is “landlocked” and relies on Dhaka as its only ocean gateway. 
• In response, PM Modi, during a meeting with Yunus at the BIMSTEC Summit, cautioned against divisive rhetoric.

Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP)

• The KMTTP is a strategic infrastructure initiative undertaken by India, aimed at enhancing connectivity between the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata and the landlocked North-Eastern states via Myanmar, bypassing Bangladesh. 
• The project is jointly developed by India and Myanmar and is a key component of India’s Act East Policy.

Different Legs of the Project

• Sea Leg
  • From Kolkata Port (India) to Sittwe Port (Myanmar) via the Bay of Bengal.
  • Distance: ~539 km by sea.
  • Sittwe Port has been constructed by India.
• Inland Waterway Leg
  • From Sittwe to Paletwa via the Kaladan River in Myanmar.
  • Distance: ~158 km.
• Road Leg
  • From Paletwa to Zorinpui (on the India-Myanmar border in Mizoram).
  • Distance: ~110 km.
• Indian Leg (Planned Extension)
  • From Zorinpui to Lawngtlai, and further to Aizawl in Mizoram.
  • To be connected to India's highway network.

Benefits

• Bypasses Bangladesh: Reduces dependency on access through Bangladesh for North-East connectivity.
• Improves Connectivity: Offers an alternative route to the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck), the narrow strip that connects North-East India with the rest of the country.
• Boosts Trade & Commerce: Enhances trade flow between India and South-East Asia.
• Strategic Significance: Strengthens India’s presence in the Bay of Bengal and deepens ties with Myanmar.
• Economic Development: Spurs infrastructure development and economic activities in India’s underdeveloped North-Eastern region.
• Part of Act East Policy: A critical step in India’s efforts to improve connectivity with ASEAN countries.

Strategic Highway to Transform North-East Connectivity

• A 166.8-km four-lane high-speed highway is being constructed from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) to Panchgram (near Silchar) along NH-6. 
• It is the first high-speed corridor in the North-East and the first such project in a hilly region, to be completed by 2030. 
• The project is implemented by NHIDCL for MoRTH and was approved by the Union Cabinet at a cost of Rs 22,864 crore.

Infrastructure Details

• The project will be executed in Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) under the PPP model.
  • HAM is a project delivery model used in India, particularly for national highway development.
  • It combines elements of both the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) models. 
  • It involves the government providing a portion of the project cost (40%) as construction support, while the remaining 60% is financed by the private developer through a pre-fixed annuity payment. 
  • This model aims to reduce financial risk for developers and speed up project execution. 
• It will feature:
  • 19 major bridges, 153 minor bridges, 326 culverts
  • 22 underpasses, 26 overpasses, 8 limited-height subways
  • 34 viaducts to navigate the hilly terrain.

Key National and Strategic Significance

• The highway will reduce travel time between Shillong and Silchar from 8.5 hours to 5 hours.
• It will connect Silchar — a key entry point to Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, and the Barak Valley — and act as a major regional link.
• It supports India’s Act East Policy by enhancing connectivity to Myanmar and beyond.
• The project is expected to reduce dependence on the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck) and bypass Bangladesh, offering an alternative route via the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project.

Kolkata-Northeast Sea Route FAQs

Q1. What is the Kaladan Project?

Ans. It’s an India-Myanmar project linking Kolkata to the Northeast via sea, river, and road, bypassing Bangladesh.

Q2. Why is this sea route important?

Ans. It offers Northeast India strategic, independent access to the sea, reducing reliance on Bangladesh’s transit facilities.

Q3. What are the components of the Kaladan route?

Ans. Sea from Kolkata to Sittwe, river to Paletwa, road to Mizoram border, then Indian highway extension.

Q4. What’s unique about the Shillong-Silchar highway?

Ans. It’s the Northeast’s first high-speed corridor, reducing travel time from 8.5 hours to 5 hours.

Q5. How does this route support Act East Policy?

Ans. It strengthens India’s connectivity to Southeast Asia, improves trade flow, and boosts Northeast’s development.

Source: IE | TW

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Evolving Environmental Jurisprudence in India Latest News
• Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Judgment
• Constitutional and Legal Framework
• Violation and Institutional Lapses
• Implications of the Verdict
• Conclusion
• Evolving Environmental Jurisprudence in India FAQs

Evolving Environmental Jurisprudence in India Latest News

• In a significant ruling aimed at strengthening environmental governance in India, the Supreme Court declared illegal the Ministry of Environment’s 2017 notification and 2021 Office Memorandum (OM).
• They allowed ex-post facto/ retrospective environmental clearance (EC) for projects that commenced without prior approval. 
• The judgment reinforces the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, and upholds the constitutional right to a pollution-free environment under Article 21.

Key Highlights of the Supreme Court Judgment

• Striking down of 2017 notification and 2021 OM:
  • The 2017 notification granted a six-month amnesty for projects operating without prior EC.
  • The 2021 OM introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with violation cases.
  • The Court ruled that both instruments are illegal, as they seek to regularize violations of the EIA Notification, 2006.
• Prior EC is mandatory: 
  • Reiterating past precedents like Common Cause v. Union of India (2017) and Alembic Pharmaceuticals v. Rohit Prajapati (2020), the Court emphasized that prior EC is non-negotiable under environmental law.
  • Projects starting without it are in gross violation of the law and harm societal and ecological interests.
• No more ex-post facto EC:
  • The judgment bans any future circulars or memoranda granting retrospective environmental clearance.
  • SC warned that courts must take strict action against violators to deter environmental degradation.

Constitutional and Legal Framework

• Fundamental rights and duties:
  • Article 21 guarantees the right to life in a pollution-free environment.
  • Article 51A(g) outlines the fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the environment.
  • Legal framework: The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is designed to enforce these rights and duties.
• Role of courts:
  • The Supreme Court affirmed that it is the duty of constitutional courts to protect the environmental rights of citizens.
  • This was also reiterated by the court in -
    • The M.C. Mehta case (lays down the concept of ‘absolute liability’), 
    • The Godavarman Thirumulpad case (redefined the concept of ‘forests’) and
    • The recent (2024) case where SC ruled that citizens have a “right against the adverse effects of climate change”.
  • This means development cannot come at the cost of the environment.

Violation and Institutional Lapses

• Widespread abuse of the 2017 and 2021 policies: 
  • Over 100 projects were granted ECs under the “violation category” including:
    • Coal (benefitted Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, etc), iron, bauxite mines
    • Cement plants (Jaypee Cement, etc), distilleries
    • Steel and iron factories
    • Major hospitals, hotels (Hotel Leela Venture Ltd, etc), real estate projects
• At least 150 other projects were issued Terms of Reference (ToR) for environmental impact assessments.
• Institutional lapses:
  • The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) met 46 times between 2017–2021 to process these violation cases.
  • The Ministry argued ex-post EC was in line with the polluter pays principle, but the Court rejected this reasoning.

Implications of the Verdict

• Existing clearances not affected: Environmental clearances already granted under the now-invalidated instruments will remain valid.
• Closure of loopholes: The “ex-post facto” route is now permanently closed, aligning with global best practices in environmental protection.
• Strengthening environmental governance: This decision reaffirms that legal compliance is non-negotiable, and industries cannot operate outside regulatory frameworks.

Conclusion

• The Supreme Court’s verdict sends a clear message - development must not come at the cost of environmental integrity. 
• Upholding the principle of prior clearance, it reiterates the importance of accountability in the use of natural resources. 
• As environmental degradation worsens, particularly in urban centers like Delhi, such rulings will be critical in ensuring that economic growth remains sustainable and legally compliant.

Evolving Environmental Jurisprudence in India FAQs

Q1. What was the key issue addressed by the Supreme Court in its 2025 judgment related to environmental clearance?

Ans. The Supreme Court struck down the 2017 notification and 2021 Office Memorandum that allowed ex-post facto environmental clearance, terming them illegal and against the EIA Notification 2006.

Q2. How does the judgment reinforce Article 21 of the Indian Constitution?

Ans. The Court upheld that the right to live in a pollution-free environment is part of the right to life under Article 21, and retrospective clearances violate this fundamental right.

Q3. Why did the Supreme Court find the 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) problematic in the context of environmental governance?

Ans. The 2021 OM attempted to regularize long-standing violations of EIA norms, even after 15 years of its implementation, undermining environmental accountability.

Q4. What principle of environmental law was central to the Court's reasoning in rejecting ex-post facto ECs?

Ans. The judgment emphasized the precautionary principle and the requirement of prior clearance, asserting that ex-post facto approvals contradict environmental jurisprudence.

Q5. What are the broader implications of this ruling for environmental impact assessment in India?

Ans. The ruling closes the door on retrospective approvals, strengthens the legal mandate for prior EC, and upholds judicial vigilance in environmental protection.

Source: TH | IE