Environmental Protection Act, 1986

The Supreme Court considered a writ petition filed by Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) seeking to quash the Ministry of Environment and Forests' (MoEF) order rejecting Stage‑II forest clearance for diversion of 660.749 hectares of forest land for a bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri hills. The Court examined whethe…

Swami Samarth Sugars and Agro Industries Ltd. (appellant) obtained an Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum (IEM) in 2010 to set up a new sugar factory, which was challenged in multiple writ petitions on the grounds of aerial distance and environmental compliance. The High Court dismissed the petitions but held that the a…

The Supreme Court examined petitions seeking to declare sandalwood (Santalum album) and red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) as "specified plants" under Section 2(27) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and to include them in Schedule VI. The Court noted that while Indian sandalwood is listed as "vulnerable" in t…

The State of Uttar Pradesh sought to impose Rs 10 crore in damages on Anand Engineering College for discharging effluent into the National Chambal Sanctuary, invoking Section 33 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The Forest Department had issued multiple notices since 2003, but the college continued the discharge…

The Supreme Court examined the legality of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) amid public opposition, focusing on whether the plant complied with environmental, coastal‑zone, and safety regulations. It held that the project was undertaken under the national nuclear policy reflected in the Atomic Energy Act, 1…