H.R.Doddannavar vs The State & Others on 25 June, 2009

 * ..(B'r  §<#;S.€§.SHIAA KI%ZA?*&' SH ETTY, Aw)

1

Ifé THE $41634 COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGAi.0R§

DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF JUNE 2009   »T

PRESEi'*iT

THE HF~1.Ai'»4BE9KAR RDAO,
"-8AN€3ALQS.E.

%%   2; HPRI?~§CI?AL SECRETARY "re GGVERNMENT,

DEPARTMENT QF FQREE-T,
EC§L.OGY & ENVIRONMENT,
¥"¥.S.BUILE3IE~iG, BANGALORE.



2

far)

WNCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR 0? FORESTS,fi=..
ARANYA BHAVAN,   *
18*" mass, MALLESWARAM,

BANC5A£...€)RE -- 560 993.

4. UNIGN OF INDIA,
REPRESEHTED BY ITS SECRETARY.

rvszuzsmv or ENVIRGNMENT,ANl:3__ E03531;  %   '  

PARYAVAELAN EHAVAN, .  
CGG CGMPLEX. LGDHI Row,   A  
New mam  %     k

   ..'.-.R;ESPOi*§DENTS
(3? SR1 BASAVARAE KAREWQY Aav. F0'R~R1.eR3

39.1 K.B.k'ANA__\;I~,. case FG!§.R.«'¢,_ADV.)

THIS wan" PETITIQE is %Fia;E=sL*%s#%;*§§3'I§eG TO QUASH
THE COMMUNICAHQM i>A7*£t.;» 23,-f8;_'20G«§.3 issues av R-3
(Af~iNEXi.iR£-A}_".      . 

%LPf:5i%:"r'im; '*§f;(3§??2A¥'\iai Chief Cénservator ef Ffiféfiifi,

V $anTg.aIere; and for a directicn to the 2"'fi respandent»

 -_ 2'5'?fi t':t:ii'z:ai Secretary is Gavernment, Department sf Fewest,

Eszéiczgy and Envirenmeht, ta consider the casa cf the

A V " V Eétifiéfiéf far divvz.-rsien sf fewest iané fer rérsewaé cf mining

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iease 1'-»1.i.. Ne.6?5 situateé at Eiefii viiiaaa, Munéarci Téfiuk,

visadaa fiistrict, ta an extefit af 55.85 hectar$,'V.Aa_§*§Vfi V"§5:f a_ V.

further directien ta éorssiéér his aprziicatian   

iease in the said $3216.

2. It is aver:-'ed in the writ :set1iti_9ifiA.A_tA?iat 

was arafited mmina iease fat? 3.§"'=;%earSV'in_ ;Su.;§'§('§3k"'~15v$Vi'£:i's';i;ti~6- " '

147 of mun! viiaae, Mmfréargi~'~'5§éL§a:i€;-,ave?Era. ezétent of
55.85 hectara. BeftxreLr:f5i;£1e.::'séivéV:Liéase neriad, the

petitiéner a;:s::_>iié:d.__ fr:::j "7 i'?¥;§§ i;:i£":fi #2352 in

accardanw   p':=--s$§iié£é2&'$""aff MMRB Act and Ruies
framed1fhér§:u'nfié% "f§f$52..ifigftiéer varied af 20 years. He

has gaaié rénffi up te__ fAvia7rr:§{20€38 as aver the fiemané maria

-'gvby $.59  ¥fB$pi$f1£§é3fi.§T.«' The said appiicatien came ta be

a§bi"a.2(e<tré:§'if%é3;*g 5%}? ;::ér:~1.._6.%é,.%_fc~iiewed by the
fviinistrv of EfiVif!?fifi1&i§tvV-éiidiv.F*.§ffi$t§ fi§ii%?¥'E':'itS censent on
22.1.2007 fQ:'§._.:;:a«:i§%.f"jii'__2*a::3 £:.r': €;3§i.fii;§:§:.é €{i§iti'és.

3. ifis f:;L§:hé%ii;we:~$ e'd 'ti"'23't'-ihé amz.-naatien filed by the

§"Jéii'fi0%i&7r '!;"_!*I"1' fiiversian sf fcwrest iané was

cons§dere2&L'-by-%:h§-__3"?_ "r»$~§:enclent and he sought a report

Qéfgzziy fiAh'iaf....Ccmsewatér cf Farests, Gadaa, whc,

 L' 13.653: t%1:é%§vizfi}.3er3ce af wwerfui peliticai iebby and wincirniii

i't:.i:.§%:3f, 'fégfiffiffififidéfi rejection of the progw$a£ submitted

 by frievfiefifinnar, afié faveurefi tire ;;3rerzésa§ <3? mm W3

V' 1A5;\$;?'ifi fiansaarts. The patitierzer, aggrieved by the fiaid

"f:efi:§?c, aapeaiéd is the Princitaai Chief Censervatar af

H Forests 113*" rwpondent) who inspected the site personaiiy

aims with ethar cfiiciais ané recnmmended diversian of

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55.5 hectares cf ffiféfit tend. Sueeequefitiy, te thetfiiter

shock of the petmoner, the 3"' respondent has. 

dam 218.2098 (Armexure-A), rejected ti:e %Mjwgr~§js§r.:L§

eroeesai cf the petitioner. He:1ee,:.:”bei:efi

saié revert, the petitiener seeksfie 5335;: tfie.Vees:§:e fine’; fer

a eirectiee ti) the authorities te”L’:eh$i_derV’h§e “a;:#’bl§eetia_rs for
mifzwiee ieaee. ” V. V. J

4. We have v__hea.2*’e”‘fl§’fe V “%.ee_r§§Aesi ;:”¢vfi{1nsei fer tiae
eetifiefier, §_ea§rfi_eé{Q’::Add%’j.«§e-ii. .§Sc:’ivete£e’ fer reseeedersts 1
to 3 anq representing the 4″‘

res’;’2c:2iVifie’r’:i-*i3:’tié22j-ef’I:jé§ie’;~~._ * 5

5. _i,eareed_”ce;:’:1ee§_» the petitiener reiterateé the

«–._.c;rc:¥.i§’d:;~-..:1:ir;?3ed ifs” ‘tirewrit petitien arsd eubmitteé that the

_’__3″‘§f-es:;:§Vfi§.fe:f§:”:wa$ not justified in submitting adverse

eeeefi feieeiiiie the aeeiéeetien cf tfie peiiticmer fer

“V..,divers§§’fi’:.ef fereet feed to the exteet cf 55.55 hectarm is’:

“: ‘1&’*r:::fL’e”‘£~€i Survey Neaiefi and 1&7. The reaserze essiqneé fer

V’ etzeh rejettian are baseiees, arbitrary’ awe urxsueteineeie it:

flaw and therefczre, the same is Iiafiie te be set aeide and e

x)”

6
direction he ieseee te the autheritiee fer renewing the

!ease. Learned Aeetsevt. Advocate, er: the ether heed,

submitted that the repert of the 3″‘ respondent:V:c£:eLe.§%’g

ehewe that the apeiicetier: af the eetitienef’ ”

raectee and rm fiffitifié is made ev:.2t”fe–r«e13eefj3§éj’eI.tieevtseié-.A ‘V
(flier, . . 7 _ . .

6. We have eiver: eerbefei cofi’e§:eeret§ee”5..;”te. “the * L’

centeetiens ef the ieazreee ee.uVVeeei”w..fer th’e–..:;arties and

scrutinized the meterieitwt ..

3?’. “§fhe__r’:iete’r§e_iV3’eh'<:feee§e tieerlv showe that the area
ef mieie§.._ §eese'V. f;"2eeei3ti_ri§'" 55.85 hectares situate in

Surv4e'y"e3ee.i46__e'e'e ié'e7'Tc:f Deni viiieee, Muederei Teiuk,

teaafae fer emeeeied cf 38 years was granted it: the

I'eet¥t_§eee}€'efiftetvt..395? whee the ?ereet Cerasewetiorx Act,

198e.., hers? -eetj come into feree. when the ieeee eeried

'"'=. L"e:s;ei:*ee'vie; 399?, he wee net permitted to extend tee ieeee

A cf the erevieiees ef Fereet Cerzeervetien Act, 1986,

flee ee eeerevei ef the Ceetrefi Gevemment ee reeuiree

V' ueeer Ssectier: 2 ef the sate Act was obtained. Eeriier, the

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aetiticrzer haa fiieé w.P.sza66;'e3 seekifie fer a diii&:éi:itiééiE:i.”i:r:i’

transtwrt aiready exc:avated?r_’o«21__ aré.’-.. §’i1ereéfE£::_;v..thVe..’3w%it

Sétffiéfi was éismissed as b颒t2r*ér§Diz}j§&*uctuous
since the GovernmentV:;é.§’;7’e§r§Je.§:df Hewever, rm
awe? was i33SS&dfl for ifiiiwed ircm are
iyinfi in tfie {tfié ;§.é§.;t§’$fi;é?”‘:fiiefi w.A.2ss9/as
which was giving iiberty tn the

arzrzeiiagit Ii1ereira) to aazprcach the

authoritiés u%ndé?. Vffié ,_;é’rr:{#§§ians ef Fcarest Canservation

Act,_;9a§ fa} rec€ésaiV’c:f his grievance. Wrsuant ta such

‘ fie3%éi#a;:;’i%je§ft;…’an endersement was given t6 the petitiener

I “5f§t_i_:%;§ ggé-;r:.=5is$ion couid net be giver: far ciearance as

;*;eAr”-4«..th:«;§v”§é*~:is§e2*s :31′ the H9n’bie Surzareme Cent’: Sr:

“”~.. V%”w.?.2é2,:§5 dated 15.9.2005.

A .’.:’:i: is necessary ta note the réport subrrsifieé by the

fiéaputy Cémmissiener regarding the ;m::;::e$ai of the

petitiwer far mining iease. It reffis thus:

9

§. 2′-‘»’c:r tiaése Fééfifififi, the aistherity retafififiighfied

rejection «sf time fiffifififiai éf the batitirmer f£:r_.::’;:?:i§ié:9$ift:{::jV”. _
forest iand vide his letter 2A.4.2G’_{)§.»_ The§*”3″”– 1ra§s;3V%$n:tjen:€ ‘»
irzssected the said minim area :é.,nd::”fu..’:9ni4§f;_iéd

fiated 39.8.2€iG6 recaz=r*::*raee:T di«sf; a t£2*-ffimie.’vivf:§. fi:§;§;a§a§

befcam ihe Unian Geveffiment -:;J:i’£’:V_§d&’d:” ivhe Fcsrast

Coragervatierz Act, 1986.. T’i”_’r}é.s.’:–:–:j_ié . f£;e§<::%fi":~r2jé:1ciaticns are as

Lméer:

E)
gsy

iii)

_4Ti:9.:e §§:3:r.¢s.tv:’::~.r§a:a . Sécaiity is just acrubby
A

‘ ‘~Tf%i’1,e r:é§:§:£.*vé’éei,«V’is fc:.:*”‘a:’%re%éy braken an area;

= éxifitirzc read the tarrérxe cf

whizié’: €év” §u,i4éi’–«rééficé bofiuticm;

“‘Tf§Ve’:.*zi§nét3 efimp is causing: sci} erosien;
‘E’h«¥§”‘ ‘avatar? aaentv i2 wiiiina in aive 5 fire
*«.:iis§a_tcf1er$ ta tambat fire during fire seascm:
BS6!’ aaancyr has aereevd if} ciive 4 watchers

~’ fiaht iacai aeachirza;

,, f;,%§§)

mu)

The Ufiéi’ afieficv agrees ta armada 4»-5 water
haies;

‘%’he user agents; has aeraad to zzreviée 4
iabourars ta maintain Medicinai wants

Qeveéeamerzt Area (MPDA).

L3

ii)
1i}. it is aisa wcrth extractim the reievant ebaervatigfis

of the 3*’ rwpandent in his repart:

‘The wémie area is a vaiuabie his diversifié

reserve crucziai far ccnservatiargaf wi!fi”‘iEféf_Vv»”‘*w:. ‘ V
rxecuiiar te fieccan Piateau drjk
Véfii new rmtentiai ta be ée§’e;£§i::_éd . «. ”
wildlife sanctijarv. It i$ .a{ i§.=.g_ ah”-énjuVx3r£é;it5. “-~
watershed far’ the surr¢u:i%a’§.if:fi.VVaari€ui.£fifél }
tracts which are vd:4e*§send’e x{ft’VA §fé§ra waitérx
run-eff far their béuéit’ mt
correct ta st;;’i:s:-,_ {as t’i1″e*épfi_i’icé.n§s hég§é’ been –

amuirm) i_ha£:1iT’*r’1f:i.vévé::Va _£i1acfé “csf”‘:;3rass is

avaiiahfé-,. ,fié%;ai}ié’i2si§?”%;i1«é”s;i¢3t§=g:rr:éavated far

miijirsg bare, but the
surrivigfrniiim’ , ‘3AiEe$§~. :”i’nc’iudinQ abanéafied
éumbs “a.§1d’ :f§:::é ~–$ iteé have recovered and
v..*.».e:§j§299ivr::st.2s’::rés§e$,____$éir’a:=ubs and herbs ESEESSEE

«,_ §:*a%ir:rji.’a__Further, nature! tree arewth is

__.%ér:§vgrifi¢._ ‘_j§.n the vaiieys. More than
‘%émc;\f駒j_§f’ era in the actuai area amziied far,
£§m;e”*”a_céérr:panyifia difiturbahce diié to: read

.. __ccn’£–t%uc%im1, mcvement cf vehicias, name
H – _»_é”;1d dust paiitzticr: and disruptierz cf drainage

due ta biastirxe etc. wiii be of greater aafiaer
ta wildfife. fviorecsver, with the
unasrecedentad éemarcé in are market and

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ii

expactatian of windfail gains more and mare
fiuch armiicatiafié wiii be flied and carmat be

refizseé Gfi Gffziifififi ef eauity. The resuit wii§__;””- ” I’ ‘V V

-” ‘ ‘ ‘ hith tannct’b£e«.restt$re_&’*~’I.’ ”

by 3 few sci? and water ‘»::c:1:;~*,a;r.”*;?ai:i:;*;:1’A.
measures as sugqest&d_=§n_ thé’._previa’-mi .

iatter.

As far as rnifiififi acfuaiiv ‘iii

the past, it is séérj’ §:£=e.a:31tf t§f:é§(_».. ?w_;ere
abanéoned st}:::§timé:”6s2fi§jz§§ efiiLd_ ‘1 §9,§s; éfid
ta alt pur§é.§eé;:1iT§4:’_Vis.v{‘:; %i: 锑tr_e:éztfe?dV ‘a’s*~”é frat’:
afizsniicatirififz. &:~’iai:f:’é.§; féaé.-‘:é’« ‘birth cases
werégrantéfiin._:t§’i«¢”y_éa.:f 2967 far a srrericvd
sf Efifiiaars AZ.fehV&**zg§éd””fiurifiq 2965. The
E-‘.s’.2_. _r:ieéf’a.né’e.fiV&.3Am:§t’tiéer3 taker: Sc far.’
_’r§éj:=,,.r§;:é, 1′ ééwngfit ,*:.”*?’1fiOi’§& the favcurabie

“Fé€f3if¥%¥§{;§filfimv%’j.fifit§6¥¥ flied by my nredacesscr,
$k:%T%3;*;«3«;aayL::a his ietter dated 38.8.2006
‘Aaféé w§u%?r3_ fatiier enéarse the views cf the

iiuémzitfif ‘° VCsmmissioner sf Fcrats 8;

.. Cg3:3sé–‘:%ratar sf ?§i”éSt$ fir: their eriginai revert
‘Vt§*:é.:=. this whcrie tiract :5 net a fit case for
;fi¥’5i§fifi ffiifiififi iéase in forest ayea. Since F16
other mining activity is fifiififi an at prasarzt

if! the Whf;-ié fcrat tract, it can be kept safe
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fmm ihe éestructive effects af mining in the_,.. *-

irwterest sf rzaturai resmrtes and %i0éi’:iéi’S_§;i’;’

far the sake sf canservatiara cf futzafe
fiéfiéfafiéfifi. Mareover, the r.r::te~»nt’3ufi.é1§fiéa%E”
dateé 13.2003 :3? the Hmrbse H;¢h:’Cd:;_%t.’é’f ”
Karnataka an w.?.21a_ea;é5i&%k%reaakrdmé ” V
rninma in ffiféfit area may-«éfisaa taé ké:}fi:y S

in :’r:E:*:é.’ ‘ 7

Thus, the 3*” respondefif épifieei’ is; not a fit case
far issuina ‘¥’r°g§.{:in;g; _-.iea£sAfe $i1fi,.::e-4.;i’éL’fj:i§h’e§j’fiainina activity #5
ififsimj cm 3%’. ‘

11. ;,::e’rA’Vi:’é’3i–«.._c*_::*:!’*Vt§1’& éb§ve_’ai:~se<r"vati-zms shczws that the
racomrr":é~nL&'1aAtiejn~. 3"' respondent deciining to

acggzét the ;€ér6::§$a i cf ttié aetitiener far diverfiiorz éf férat

§ai'_": fi i§"'Lj;:fi:tifi_:ed i3 baseci an the matéfiai arr féfififfi

:a_ni§_ai:fi§~.A.,.§»'é;%is:;=:fiai irzapecticn cf we area. we da fiat fififi

arr? emf-"§"r Aifieaaiity in the Sfiifi wifiirsn furnishes: by him

i:&__ta.i<é a difiererzt view. This caurt in axerczise cf writ

«' ""_j;ii§'i'i$:t:3iC'i§f:¥': wider Articies 226 arm 22? $1' tfie Carusstituticm

Erzfiia ztarmet fiubstitiste its aainion with the msinierz (if

the 3"" raayandefit who has personaliy inspected the area

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and made his sbservatians an thé basis cf facts founvétéézj.

mm. Accorfiineiy, we firid fifi raasan ts Efitéfiaifi';'t§'ié."*g"§.§'iV.I'

petiticm.

12, in the rauit, we pass the fc:iioz§iéi;1fi.A_Ac:rEIe:§i~«

‘rhe writ petitien is d..i$missed«. _
% » C21iée;£.I%1:stice

A. …..

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