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PETITIONER: CONSUMER.  EDUCATION AND RESEARCH SOCIETY .

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA &.  ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       16/02/2000

BENCH: G.T.Nanavati, S.N.Phukan

JUDGMENT:

DER

     G.T.  NANAVATI

     In  this special leave petition the judgment and order passed by the High Court in Spedal Civil Application No.6707 or  1995 is challenged.  The petitioner had filedi the  writ petition   chllenging  the   government  notification  dated 9.8.1995  and  the resolution dated 27.7.1995 passed by  the State  Legislature  reducing  the area of  "Narayan  Sarovar ChinKara  Sanctuary"  from 765.79 Sq.  K.M.  to 444.2.3  Sq. K.M.  The High Court dismissea that petition.

     On  14.4.1981 the Government of Gujarat in exercise of the  powers  conferred  by Section 18(1) of  the  Wild  Life Protection  Act, 1972, declared a part of the forest area in Lakhphat  Taluka  of  Kutch.   District   as  a  "Wild  life Sanctuary".   The total area of the sanctuary was 765.79 Sq. K.M.  On

     27.7.1993  it  cancelled that notification and  issued another  whereby  only a part of the said  reserved  forest: was  deciared  as the "Chinkara Wild Life  Sanctuary’,  The area   so  declared  was  94.87   Sq.K.M.   The   said   two notifications  were  chalirnged by the petitioner by  filing writ  petition?   in the Gujarat High court The  High  Court quashed  both those notifications The result was.  that  the earlier   notification   dated    14.4.1981   was   revived. Thereafter  the  State Government made certain inquires  and decided  to  delimit  the area of that sanctuary as  it  was found  to  be  more than required and the  delimitation  was likeiy  to be helpful in systematically developing that area economically  by making use of its mineral wealth.  It  then moved  the  State  Legislature for  passing  an  appropriate resolution   in  that  behalf.    The   State   Legislature, thereafter  on 27.7.1995, passed a resolution to reduce  the sanctuary  limit  to  444.23 Sq.K.M.  and make the  area  of 321,56  Sq.K.M.  rich with minerals like limestone, lignite, bauxite,  and  bentonite.  available for the development  of the  said backward area of Kutchh District.  The  resolution was  passed  in exercise of the powers conferred by  Section 26A(3)  of  the  Wild Life Protection Act.  Pursue  to  that resolution  the  Government  issued a notification  Lo  that effect en

     9.8.1995.   The  petitioner   again  chalienged  those

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notification by filing the writ a petition.

     The  High Court, after scrutinising the resolution was of  the  view  that "the State Legislature was  quite  aware about  the  wild  life as without in any  way  diluting  the commitment to protect wild Life and to Improve the -habitat. positive  steps are taken so neither wiidUfe is affected nor the  improvement is affected." The High Court heid that  for about  12QO Chinkaras the area of 444.23 Sq.K.M.  was  quite surfidsnt.   It further has that econom’c development of the araa  was likely to banefit the people of Kutchh District at large  and help in protection, preservation and  development of  flora and fauna of that area.  As regards permission  to set  up the cement pisnt near that arsa and to do mining  In the  de-notified area.  it heid that proper conditions  have been  imposed  for  preventing pollution and to  meet  other environmental  requirements.  Taking this vs^v it  dismissed the writ petition.

     Initially  an  attempt  was  made to se«e         if  st  was possible  to pass an agreed order.  But that attempt did not succeed.   On  8.5.1997  the  following  inter^n  order  was passed: