Environment (Protection) Act

The Supreme Court, hearing Laxmi Narain Modi v. Union of India (Writ Petition (C) No. 309 of 2003), examined whether State Committees constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2000 were functioning effectively and whether the states had complied with earlier court directions on ani…

The Supreme Court considered appeals filed by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board challenging the High Court's order granting consent to a company to set up a castor‑oil derivatives plant near the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar catchment areas. The Board argued that the industry fell in the "red" hazardous catego…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a 100‑acre lease granted by the Rajasthan government to Jal Mahal Resorts for 99 years to develop the Mansagar Lake precinct. It held that the lease was not obtained through mala‑fide conduct, that only 8.65 acres classified as lake‑bed must be returned to the government and 1…

The NGO Kalyaneshwari filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus to ban all mining and manufacturing of asbestos in India and to set up a committee for victim identification. The Court examined whether it could legislate a ban, whether the petition was a bona fide public‑interest litigation, and whether …

The Supreme Court entertained writ petitions filed by environmental activist M.C. Mehta under Article 32, seeking relief from severe air pollution caused by mechanical stone crushers operating in Delhi and adjoining areas of Haryana. The petitioners alleged that the stone‑dust and smoke emitted by the crushers endanger…

The Supreme Court, on its own motion, took notice of press reports of numerous deaths and inadequate facilities during the 2012 Amarnath Yatra. It issued notices to the Union of India, the State of Jammu & Kashmir and the Amarnath Shrine Board, and constituted a Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) to examine health, …

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and its concessionaire Noble Exchange set up a Garbage Processing Plant (GPP) at Baner, Pune under a 2005 development plan that reserved the land for such a facility. The plant was authorized under the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 and received environm…

The Supreme Court considered a petition seeking to halt the dismantling of the ship "Blue Lady" at Alang, Gujarat, on grounds of environmental hazards such as asbestos and PCB. The Court had earlier constituted a Committee of Technical Experts (TEC) to examine the ship‑breaking infrastructure, health‑safety measures, a…

The Supreme Court considered an interlocutory application filed by Sterlite Industries (Siil) seeking clarification on the rehabilitation package and the proposed transfer of the Niyamgiri bauxite mining lease to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) as suggested by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The Court held that …

The Supreme Court, hearing Writ Petition (Civil) No. 657 of 1995 filed by the Research Foundation for Science, examined the recurring environmental and occupational hazards associated with ship‑breaking activities at Alang. The Court noted that the controversy over the ship Clemenceau had been resolved but the broader …

K.T.V. Health Food Pvt. Ltd. sought to continue operating a storage terminal and an underground pipeline for edible oil imported through Chennai Port. The Union of India, invoking the 2011 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification under the Environment Protection Act, granted post‑facto clearance under paragraph‑4.3, …