04
Sep
New Delhi– The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu cognizance of the massive destruction caused by torrential rains and flooding across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, issuing notices to all four state governments.A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) observed that the unprecedented monsoon deluge had resulted in extensive loss of lives, agriculture, and infrastructure, warning that unchecked environmental damage may have worsened the crisis. Reports of illegal deforestation were flagged as a possible factor behind the scale of devastation.“We have seen entire fields and villages in Punjab wiped out. Development must be balanced…