From letters to the Supreme Court to a year-round resource for animals. Read the story

Animal Writes
Contact us

Indore Metro Project: MP High Court permits tree felling, but directs phased cutting under bird experts’ supervision

Indore Metro Project: MP High Court permits tree felling, but directs phased cutting under bird experts’ supervision

The Madhya Pradesh High Court permitted the felling of trees for the Indore Metro project while ordering measures to protect nesting birds in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. A division bench of the High Court issued these directions in Indore after a petition raised concerns about the impact of the construction on local avian populations. The court held that the Indore Metro Rail Corporation must carry out the tree cutting in a phased manner under the supervision of bird experts. This supervision aims to ensure that no nests are destroyed during the breeding season, as the court noted the importance of balancing infrastructure development with environmental conservation. The Indore Municipal Corporation and the forest department are tasked with identifying suitable locations for transplanting trees and rehabilitating any affected wildlife. The project proponents must submit periodic compliance reports to the court to confirm that the felling adheres to the stipulated wildlife protection guidelines.

Sources

Live Law

Read the original (opens in a new tab)Summary written by Animal Writes. Read the original before relying on it.

Editorial policyReport a mistake

More in Birds

  • Activists flag risks to community animals under draft lab rules

    News

    Activists flag risks to community animals under draft lab rules

    Activists from Peedus People warned draft laboratory animal rules could expose community dogs, cats, cows and wildlife to experimentation during a protest at Sector 17 Plaza and Elante Mall in Chandigarh. The campaign was organized by the animal‑welfare organisation Peedus People and took place on Friday in the commercial hubs of Chandigarh, Punjab. Former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi said the proposal could allow animals to be sourced from roads, markets and unregistered establishments, while PETA India warned the draft may permit experiments on community animals and the capture of wild species under vague scientific justification. Veterinarian Dr Manish Rathee cautioned that the rules could enable backyard breeding, illegal capture and abandonment of community animals, and Sahil Sharma, president of Salute The Trees, said “Animals are living, sentient beings, not laboratory commodities to be exploited in the name of scientific progress.” The draft seeks to replace the 1968 and 1998 rules, with November 5 set as the last date for filing objections to the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA).

  • Mysuru Dasara faces elephant ban demand after safety concerns

    News

    Mysuru Dasara faces elephant ban demand after safety concerns

    Mysuru Dasara faces elephant ban demand after safety concerns raised about captive elephants used in the festival in Mysuru, Karnataka. Animal welfare activists and concerned citizens urged authorities to stop using elephants in the celebrations due to safety risks and animal welfare issues. The petitioners asked the Karnataka Forest Department and the district administration to replace live elephants with mechanised alternatives or cultural floats. Opposing the demand, temple authorities and festival committees stated that traditional rituals require live animals. The forest department stated that veterinary teams monitor the health and stress levels of the participating elephants throughout the festival. Officials stated that a final decision on the participation of the elephants will be taken after reviewing safety guidelines and consulting stakeholders before the next festival season.

  • Why India calls its grasslands wasteland and what that word has cost wildlife

    News

    Why India calls its grasslands wasteland and what that word has cost wildlife

    India’s classification of natural grasslands as wastelands threatens the survival of endangered wildlife including the Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, and Indian Grey Wolf across several ecological regions. The Ministry of Rural Development and the Department of Land Resources record these habitats in the Wasteland Atlas of India, primarily affecting arid zones in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment alleged that officials mislabel "ecologically productive" areas as unproductive land to facilitate industrial projects. This policy enables the diversion of vital grazing lands for solar farms and tree plantations, which the NGO stated destroys the specialized biodiversity of open natural ecosystems. The Supreme Court of India recently directed a committee to define these areas correctly to prevent the extinction of birds sensitive to habitat changes.

From the Library

  • Page 1 of Strict compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 5 of 2025, In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price, the Standard Operating Procedures issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India dated 27.11.2025 and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

    Circular

    Strict compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 5 of 2025, In Re: City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price, the Standard Operating Procedures issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India dated 27.11.2025 and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.

    The Animal Welfare Board of India issued a circular requiring strict adherence to stray dog management regulations. The notice mandates compliance with Supreme Court of India orders from a 2025 case, the board's standard operating procedures, and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023. These directions apply to all state governments, union territory administrations, local authorities, and implementing agencies across the country.

  • Draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Control and Supervision of Experiment, Breeding and Trading of Laboratory Animals) Rules, 2026

    Rule

    Draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Control and Supervision of Experiment, Breeding and Trading of Laboratory Animals) Rules, 2026

    The Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals issued the Draft Laboratory Animals Rules, 2026 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The notification, issued on 30 Sep 2026, sets out updated standards for scientific and educational experiments involving animals. The new framework will replace India's older 1968 and 1998 rules on experiments on animals. Under the proposed system, each experiment would be classed as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe. A laboratory's own institutional animal ethics committee would be permitted to approve mild and moderate procedures. The Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals would retain approval authority for severe and non-recovery procedures performed on animals positioned above rodents and rabbits. Some farm animals, fish and birds could come from the open market with the approval of the ethics committee. The public and interested stakeholders can send formal objections or suggestions regarding the draft text to the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals until 5 Nov 2026.

  • CBI DRI Joint Action Busts Wildlife Trafficking Racket 53 Protected Animals/ Birds Rescued, 06 Accused Arrested

    Official Release

    CBI DRI Joint Action Busts Wildlife Trafficking Racket 53 Protected Animals/ Birds Rescued, 06 Accused Arrested

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and DRI, Mumbai, conducted a joint operation that disrupted a wildlife trafficking network, resulting in the rescue of 53 protected animals and birds. The operation, supported by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, involved multiple locations in Maharashtra and West Bengal. Rescued species included 15 Slow Loris, 2 Binturong, 28 Star Tortoises, 6 Egyptian Vultures, and 2 Shikra birds. Six suspects were arrested, three in Mumbai and three in Kolkata, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Criminal Conspiracy under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The investigation is ongoing.