An Indian court has recognised Himalayan glaciers, lakes and forests as “legal persons” in an effort to curb environmental destruction, weeks after it granted similar status to the country’s two most sacred rivers. In a decision that aims to widen environmental protections in the mountainous region, the court granted the legal standing to glaciers Gangotri … Read more
Two of India’s most iconic rivers, considered sacred by nearly a billion Hindus in the country, have been given the status of living entities to save them from further harm caused by widespread pollution. The High Court in the northern state of Uttarakhand ruled Monday that the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers be accorded the … Read more
Two of India’s holiest but most polluted rivers have been recognised as a “legal person” in a landmark court ruling that could see the sacred waterways restored to health. The decision to bestow legal standing to the Ganges and the Yamuna, one of its major tributaries, comes just days after New Zealand awarded similar rights … Read more
Varanasi boat owner Prabhu Sahani backed Narendra Modi as his MP in the 2014 general election. But the Indian prime minister will not be getting his vote when the ancient city on the Ganges goes to the polls again on Wednesday. “He doesn’t understand Varanasi,” complained Sahani, 34, whose boats ferry tourists and pilgrims along … Read more