Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra & Ors v. State of U. P. & Ors

This decision related to earlier decisions by the Supreme Court in the same matter. The Supreme Court had received a writ petition from Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra regarding the unauthorised and illegal operation of lime-stone quarries in the Mussoorie Hill range, India. It was argued that the quarries caused a hazard to healthy environment and affected the perennial water springs. During the pendency of the Writ Petitions, the Court had appointed a Committee for the purpose of inspecting the lime stone quarries mentioned in the Writ Petitions. The Govern- ment of India had also appointed a working Group on the mining of lime stone quarries in Dehradun-Mussoorie area. On 12th March 1985 the Court passed a de- tailed order giving various directions and observing that the reasons for the order would be set out in the judgment to follow later. In this decision, however, the court was of the view that it was not necessary to give any further reasons than those which had already been given in the order made by the Court on 12th March, 1985 because the broad reasons had been adequately set out in that order. The court emphasized that industrial development was necessary for economic growth of the country. If, however, industrial growth was sought to be achieved by haphazard and reckless working of the mines resulting in loss of life, loss of property, loss of basic amenities like supply of water and creation of ecological imbalance, there may ultimately be no real eco- nomic growth and no real prosperity. It was necessary to strike a proper balance. Appropriate authorities at the time of granting leases should take all these facts into consideration and also provide for adequate safeguards.