* ..(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 $anTg.aIere; and for a directicn to the 2"'fi respandent»
-_ 2'5'?fi t':t:ii'z:ai Secretary is Gavernment, Department sf Fewest,
Eszéiczgy and Envirenmeht, ta consider the casa cf the
A V " V Eétifiéfiéf far divvz.-rsien sf fewest iané fer rérsewaé cf mining
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3
iease 1'-»1.i.. Ne.6?5 situateé at Eiefii viiiaaa, Munéarci Téfiuk,
visadaa fiistrict, ta an extefit af 55.85 hectar$,'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
V'
'1'
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
L2′
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? $1' tfie Carusstituticm
Erzfiia ztarmet fiubstitiste its aainion with the msinierz (if
the 3"" raayandefit who has personaliy inspected the area
\/9
E3
and made his sbservatians an thé basis cf facts founvétéézj.
mm. Accorfiineiy, we firid fifi raasan ts Efitéfiaifi';'t§'ié."*g"§.§'iV.I'
petiticm.
12, in the rauit, we pass the fc:iioz§iéi;1fi.A_Ac:rEIe:§i~«
‘rhe writ petitien is d..i$missed«. _
% » C21iée;£.I%1:stice
A. …..
1;: