The Society for the Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare is pleased to present the SAAEW Bimonthly Newsletter (June–July 2026)! This issue features articles on wildlife law enforcement through digital technologies, animal welfare and judicial discretion, India’s exotic pet trade, environmental implications of development projects, forest conservation jurisprudence, climate governance, and other contemporary animal and environmental law developments. We hope you enj

This edition covers significant national and international developments in the fields of environmental law, wildlife protection, climate policy, and ethical governance. As an academic community, your guidance, encouragement, and participation continue to inspire student-led initiatives that seek to bridge law, ethics, and environmental consciousness. We hope this newsletter serves as a meaningful read and a gentle reminder that sustained change often begins with awareness and

This edition of August- September 2025 SAAEW BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER presents key global and national news about animals and the environment. Major news includes Vedanta’s 30 crore wildlife initiative, ICJ landmark opinion on legal responsibility for climate change and various efforts on national as well as global level. The newly introduced quick-read section highlights concise insights into aspects of animal and environmental issues, such as the decline of the global insect po

This edition brings you key moments where the law and the natural world intersect. The Supreme Court, in MC Mehta v. Union of India, has pushed for a full tree census and tougher checks on illegal felling inside the Taj Trapezium Zone, safeguarding the Taj Mahal’s fragile environment. In another strong stand, the Court reaffirmed that the right to breathe clean air is part of our fundamental rights under Article 21, urging an all year ban on firecrackers and voicing concern o

Our Bimonthly Magazines aim to provide snapshots of the preceding two months through the lens of animal and environmental policy. What are the statutory protections available to the voiceless? How do Courts try to make the environment more breathable? Read on to find out! October 2024 Summary: This edition highlights key developments in animal rights and environmental laws in India. We start with the #JusticeForJai campaign, which has raised calls for stronger laws under the

By Ms. Meera Gopal* This second part of the series on the law on coastal commons in India looks at the agencies involved in the protection of the coast and the status of enforcement and implementation of the CRZ Notification and whether the regulation has been able to achieve its high objectives. As mentioned in the earlier post, the main stakeholders under the institutional regime are the governmental agencies, the investors and the coastal communities.It may be reiterated t

By Ms. Meera Gopal* In 1981, the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi wrote a very impassioned letter to all the Chief Ministers of the coastal states with an earnest request to protect the coast and the beaches which had “aesthetic and environmental value as well as other uses” India has a large coastline covering more than 7500 km in length. A coast which is home to the famous beaches of Goa and Kerala, fishing communities and their traditional and sustainable f

By Ms. Bhavya Pande Cattle and poultry fall under the broader umbrella of farmed animals (animals which are specifically raised for food and clothing). The suffering of the farmed animals is largely invisible as they are known mainly for their economic value and by their end product i.e. milk, meat and eggs. The inherent value is often overlooked and the instrumental and commercial value of these animals is given importance. This article focuses on the law with respect to mi

By Mr. Utkarsh Jain* In Part I of this article, I initiated the reader into the (a) non-consultative and non-representative decisions of the Indian nation state with respect to permitting untold destruction of the ecology of India, at sites recognized by UNESCO no less, and (b) an individualistic and overtly litigious response by lawyers in response to these decisions, which in fact mirror the state, in terms of a lack of consultation with those communities most impacted by e

By Mr. Utkarsh Jain* Continuing and Intended Destruction of the Environment During the Corona Virus Pandemic in India We are presently witnessing yet another cycle of the large scale and pre-meditated destruction of the environment by the Indian nation state. Across, the length and breadth of India, the government is unilaterally taking decisions which will have a permanent and long lasting impact on the biosphere and communities, which for the longest time, have lived in hea

By Ms. Ishita Das* The Baghjan oil field disaster has affected thousands of human lives and caused extensive damage to the environment. The company, Oil India Limited, seems to have engaged in serious violations of the Air Act, the Water Act and can be held absolutely liable under the Environmental Protection Act. Various established principles of Environmental Law including the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, the public trust doctrine, and the sustainab

By Mr. Harsh Vardhan Bhati* “The Bihari boatman knows the Ganga as a sanctuary for smooth-coated otters and the critically endangered blind dolphins, cousins of the Amazonian pink boto and the Yangtze River’s baiji. The Dalit fisherfolk know it as the mother of Toofani Baba, their stormy guardian. The Muslims know the river as the place where tazia is immersed on Muharram to celebrate the martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson and his seventy-two companions. The Buddhists know t

By Ms. Nikita Pattajoshi* The concept of community management of natural resources makes sure that resources are used in the most sustainable fashion. However, any such community management becomes meaningful only if it truly represents the interest of all members of the community, irrespective of caste, gender, and other societal hierarchies. Considering an androcentric society like India, the role or participation of females in the environmental decision making process is

By Ms. Alokparna Sengupta* Introduction As the pandemic continues to devour scores of humans around the globe, it’s imperative to look at the source of this ghastly feast of human suffering and death. Spillover events like the recent novel corona virus outbreak have occurred in the past, and the only constant that aids the emergence of such pandemics is- the quickly forgotten or not heeded lessons from the past. Zoonotic spillovers have always been brewing in wet markets and

By Mr. Raghav Srivastava* For some time now, the meaning and value of strategies and tools used in solving the 'problem' of endangerment of biodiversity and natural processes, have been occupying the recesses of my mind. As anyone who seeks any kind of purpose will know, the methodologies employed to achieve that purpose will naturally arouse curiosity at some point. The purpose to which I am currently avowed is environmental conservation – resolving the problem of environmen

By Dr. Sohini Mahapatra* Animals have been one of the most deprived classes among living beings, not only in India, but in several countries across the world. The inter-dependence of humans and animals is a known fact. However, the worth of animals is seldom acknowledged. India, in particular, displays one of the most diverse portraits of animals – from being worshiped to being sacrificed, from being viewed as property to being subjects of welfare. For example, under the Indi