http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 7  

PETITIONER: M.C.MEHTA

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT14/03/1991

BENCH: MISRA, RANGNATH (CJ) BENCH: MISRA, RANGNATH (CJ) KANIA, M.H. KULDIP SINGH (J)

CITATION:  1991 SCR  (1) 866        1991 SCC  (2) 353  JT 1991 (1)   620        1991 SCALE  (1)427

ACT:      Constitution  of India, 1950-Articles 32, 51-A-  Public Interest Litigation-Environment Pollution-Control-Measures.      Environment (Protection) Act, 1986-Section, 3-  Problem of Vehicular pollution in Delhi- Committee set up by Court.

HEADNOTE:      The  petitioner,  an  Advocate  and  Chairman  of   the Environmental  Protection  Cell  filed  the  petition  under Article 32 asking the Court to issue directions for  closing down   of  hazardous  industries  located  in  the   densely populated  areas  of  Delhi,  and  for  regulation  of   air pollution  caused  by automobiles operating in the  area  as also  the  thermal  units generating  power  for  the  Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking.      Making an interim order, and keeping the writ  petition pending for the purpose of monitoring, the Court.      HELD: 1. The incorporation of protection of environment as  an obligation of the State in the  Directive  Principles and  the mandate in Article 51-A to the  citizens  of  India as   part  of  fundamental  duty  are  indications  of   the Constitutional  recognition of importance of environment  of life-both the flora and the fauna. [870 A-B]      2. Law alone also cannot help in restoring a balance in the biospheric disturbance. Nor can funds help  effectively. The   situation  requires  a  perception   and   imaginative planning.  It  also  requires sustained  effort  and  result oriented  strategic action. Campaign for  general  awakening of the people using automobiles of different  classification and   among  the  people  inhabiting  the  Capital   is   an indispensable preliminary. [871E-G]      3.  All  persons using automobiles should have  a  fair knowledge  of the baneful effect on the community  including those who use such vehicles on account of the emission  from such  vehicles. Until that is done in an effective  way  the appropriate  attitude would not develop and cooperation  for reducing pollution would not emerge. [871 F-H]                                                        867      4. A Committee is set up by this court to look into the problem  of  vehicular pollution in Delhi and  for  devising methods of solution of the problem. [ 872 H-873 A].

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 7  

    5.  A retired Judge of this court to act  as  Chairman, the  petitioner  and the Chairman of the  Central  Pollution Control Board and the person representing the Association of Indian Automobiles Manufacturers could be the members of the Committee. The Committee would also have the power to co-opt experts  not exceeding three for its efficient working  from time  to  time.  The  Joint Secretary  in  the  Ministry  of Environment  and Forests shall be the Convenor-Secretary  of the Committee. [873A-D]      6.  The Committee may be constituted with  effect  from 18th  March, 1991, under an appropriate Notification of  the Union Government. [873D]      7.  The Committee shall furnish a report to this  Court once in two months as to the steps taken in the matter.  The Union  Government and the Delhi Administration are  directed to   effectively  cooperate  with  the  Committee  for   its successful operation. [874B]

JUDGMENT:      ORIGINAL JURISDICTION:Write Petition No. 13029 of 1985.      (Under Articles 32 of the Constitution of India).      Petitioner in person.      Altaf Ahmed, Additional Solicitor General , Sri  Narain Mathur,  R.  Mohan, Ms. Anil Katiyar, Ms.  Sushma  Suri,  K. Swamy, R.K. Maheshwari and S.M. Ashri for the Respondents.      The Judgement of the Court was delivered by.      RANGANATH  MISRA,  CJ.  This is  an  application  under Article  32  of  the Constitution  in  the  public  interest litigation sector. A practising advocate who is the Chairman of the Environment Protection Cell operating at Delhi is the petioner. This Court has been asked to issue directions  for closing down of hazardous industries located in the  densely populated areas of Delhi and for regulation of air pollution caused  by  automobiles operating in the area  as  also  the thermal units generating power for the Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking, (here after referred to as ‘DESU’).      The Union Territory of Delhi has a total population  of about 96                                                        868 lakhs, out of which the urban area consisting of old  Delhi, New  Delhi and the Cantonment has a population of around  90 lakhs.  By 1947 when the country became  independent,  Delhi had  a population of a little over 5 lakhs. In these  little more  than  two scores of years the  population  has,  thus, multiplied  by 18 times. Though it is a spread-out city,  in some  pockets,  the density of population is very  high  and these have become congested.      The  problem of environmental pollution is global in  a increasingly   small  world  and  concerns   all   countries irrespective   of  their  size,  level  of  development   or ideology.  Notwithstanding political division of  the  world into national units, the oceanic world in an inter-connected whole; the winds that blow over the countries are also  one. Pollution is capable of moving from continent to  continent. If  USSR  carries out a nuclear test, the  fall-out  may  be carried by the winds to any part of the world and such fall- out  or irresponsible disposal of radio-active waste from  a remote  energy  plant in one country may turn  out  to  have greater  adverse effect on the neighbouring  countries  that the  danger  of full-fledged war. Informed  public  mind  is already  agitated over the polluting effect of the Gulf  War and  the  common concern of the entire  homosapien  race  is obsessed  by the apprehension of acid rain, toxic effect  on

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 7  

the seas and even on the atmosphere.      The   awareness   of  interaction  of  man   with   his environment  is  of recent origin. The  Declaration  of  the United  Nations Conference on the Human Environment held  in Stockholm in June, 1972 stated:          "Man   is   both  creature  and  moulder   of   his          environment which gives him physical sustenance and          affords  him  the  opportunity  for   intellectual,          moral, social and spiritual growth. In the long and          tortuous evolution of the human race on this planet          a  stage  has  been  reached  when,  through  rapid          acceleration  of  science and technology,  man  has          acquired the power to transform his environment  in          countless ways and on an unprecedented scale.  Both          aspects  of man’s environment, the natural and  the          man-made,  are essential to his well-being  and  to          the  enjoyment of basic human rights-even  of  life          itself."      Principle No. 1 of the same Declaration went on to say:           "Man   has  the  fundamental  right  to   freedom,           equality  and adequate conditions of life,  in  an           environment of a quality                                                       869           that permits a life of dignity and well-being, and           he  bears  solemn responsibility  to  protect  and           improve  the  environment for present  and  future           generations...".      The  closeness of the undeveloped  and  under-developed communities  to nature is not found in the  developed  ones. Our ancestors had realised the importance of the tie between man  and  his environment. The Samaveda note that  Flute  of Divine love by saying:           "Listen to the melodious music of the divine poet.           He plays upon the flute of love, the notes soar to           high heaven and reach the  distant stars and dance           on the raging waves of the sea."           The  earth,  the seas, the sky, the stars  are  all           woven  together by the soft strains of the  divine           music. Its vibrants echo through the corridors  of           time in the endless canopy of the sky."      Norman  Myers  quoted in Sir Edmond  Hillary’s  Ecology 2,000’ has rightly observed: "        The fate of African environments is thus determined          not only by local circumstances. It is  influenced,          in  part  at  least,  by  the  lifestyles  of   the          developed world. These economic-ecological linkages          between  different  members  of  the  international          community  are little recognized to date, but  they          represent   a  significant  factor   for   land-use          patterns in Africa’s Savannahs".      Our   Constitution   by  the   Forty-Second   Amendment introduced  Article  48A  as  also  Article  51A  into   the Constitution. these Articles provide:           "48A.  The  State shall endeavour  to  protect  and           improve  the  environment  and  to  safeguard  the           forests  and  wild life of the  country.""           51A.  It  shall be the duty of  every  citizen  of           India:          (g) to protect and improve the natural environment           including  forests, rivers and wild life,  and  to           have compassion for living creatures."                                                        870 The  incorporation  of  protection  of  environment  as   an obligation of the State in the Directive Principles and  the mandate in Article 51 A to the citizens of India as part  of

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 7  

fundamental  duty  are  indications  of  the  Constitutional recognition  of importance of environment on  life-both  the flora and the fauna.      Ours is a great country- territorywise, from the stand- point of population as also legacy-wise. Though  politically divided  into many States throughout the ages  it  has  been bound by a common culture short-lived empires have grown  up and  Delhi became the capital of such empires of the  north. Delhi was the capital of the Mughals too but the  Britishers had  in the initial period Calcutta as their capital and  it was only 1911 that the Indian capital of the British  empire was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.      With  the  growth  of  importance  of  Delhi,  on   the outskirts  of the then city gradually industries  developed. Lack of vision and inadequate statesmanship allowed many  of these   industries  to  grow  perilously  close   to   human habitation and in the process of expansion of the city  with the  growth of population and activity, the industrial  belt became  a part of the city. Hindustan Insecticides  Limited, which  is  respondent  no.  6 before  us,  is  one  of  such industries, DESU has three generating units-One known as the indraprastha  Power  Station,  the other  as  the  GT  Power Stations  and the third as the RPR Power Station. These  too are  located  within the densely populated area.  The  Delhi Transport  Corporation  (hereafter DTC) which  provides  the public transport facility to the residents of Delhi operates thousands of buses has been impleaded as respondent no. 5 on the  allegation  that it is one of the  notorious  polluting agencies.      A  monitoring  Committee  on  ambient  and   automotive emission  levels  was  set up for examining  the  impact  of surface  transport  on  air  environment  of  Delhi  at  the instance of the Director of Transport, Delhi Administration. The facts and figures available from the report may  briefly be indicated. As on March 31, 1982. Delhi had a total number of  5,92,584 vehicles of which 65% were  two-wheelers,  3.5% were  three-wheelers, 25% cars, jeeps and other medium  size vehicles and 1.5% were buses and the remaining 7% were goods carriers. The affidavit of the Deputy Director of  Transport of  the  Delhi Administration indicates that  the  vehicular population  of  1990 is 13.5 lakhs. This means  that  within about  8 years there has been an increase of about  8  lakhs of vehicles in Delhi which would work out to an addition of                                                        871 about 1 lakh every year. The proportion of the two  wheelers has perhaps not been seriously disturbed. Though the  Deputy director  of  Transport has indicated that  the  automobiles contribute  about  50%  of the  polluting  factor  there  is material  to  suggest that the proportion is  still  higher. Two-wheelers   and  three-wheelers  contribute  over   sixty percent  of the total emission of carbon monoxide and  about eighty  percent  of  the total  hydrocarbons.  To  meet  the challenging task of  controlling pollution, Air  (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 has been enacted.      Respondent 3 is the Central Board set up under the Act. The  statute authorise Government in consultation  with  the Board  to instruct the Transport Authorities for  developing expertise by taking vehicular pollution survey covering  all ramifications.  The Union Territory of Delhi was  chosen  on selective  basis  because it maintains the  highest  traffic volume.      Under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1989 certain  provision have   been  made  for  regulating  emission  resulting   in pollution.     Transport    Authorities   of    the    Delhi Administration  had  placed facts and  figures  relating  to

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 5 of 7  

steps taken under the Act for regulating pollution. Emission checking.  prosecution  as  also  steps  for  canceling   of registration  are said to be the normal steps taken  by  the Administration  in  this  behalf. We  were  ,  however,  not satisfied that the action taken in this behalf was  adequate and  the challenging task of pollution control could not  be successfully dealt with that way.      Law  alone also cannot help in restoring a  balance  in the biospheric disturbance. Nor can funds help  effectively. The  situation requires a clear perception  and  imaginative planning.  It  also  requires sustained  effort  and  result oriented  strategic  action. Campaign for general  awakening of the people using automobiles of different classifications and   among   the   people   inhabiting   the   capital   is indispensable  preliminary.  All persons  using  automobiles should  have a fair  knowledge of the baneful effect on  the community  including those who use such vehicles on  account of the emission from such vehicles. Until that is done in an effective way the appropriate attitude would not develop and cooperation for reducing pollution would not emerge.      A brief extract from the journal entitled ‘Environmetal Policy & law’  vol. 13 nos. 1-2 Spring 1983) published  from North-Holland describes the problem thus:                                                        872           "It  became clear that all these measures are  not           themselves  sufficient to come to grips  with  the           problem  of air pollution caused by road  traffic.           In every one of the towns and cities, the  problem           of  air pollution from motor vehicle traffic is  a           considerable   one,  and  it  was  more  or   less           generally  apparent that present norms  for  motor           vehicle exhausts are not adequate so as to achieve           the necessary reductions in a rapid space of time.           In fact, the problem is, in part, on the increase.           This is not only true of private cars,  especially           diesel-powered  vehicles, but also  of  commercial           vehicles ..."               "Despite  the  legal and  other  restrictions           mentioned above, which hamper the towns and cities           involved  in pursuing effective policies aimed  at           limiting motor vehicle exhausts, some  interesting           strategies have been thought  up which have either           led  to  improvements in themselves  or  at  least           stimulated    attitudes   towards    environmental           policies.   For  example,  in  formulating   their           regulations in the event of smog, both Munich  and           Berlin offered positive stimulus for the  purchase           of  vehicles fitted with catalytic converters.  As           far  as city-owned motor vehicles  are  concerned,           some authorities have pursued a deliberate  policy           of  purchasing  those automobiles   with  improved           exhaust systems."      In  course of the hearing of this matter we had  called upon  counsel  to look at the problem not  as  an  adversial litigation but to come forward with useful deliberations  so that something concreate could finally emerge for easing the situation.  We were shown some literature and  even  gadgets which  might  help reduction of pollution. The  question  of eliminating  use of motor spirit and replacement of  battery operated  two-wheelers was also mooted. The  Association  of Indian  Automobile Manufacturers had made an application for intervention  and was present in Court. Some of the  aspects which  came  up  for  discussion  were  indeed  sufficiently technical. Some other aspects require laboratory testing and probe  into efficacy. Therefore, the question of setting  up

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 6 of 7  

of a high-powered committee was also mooted. We are happy to find  that the deliberations in course of the  hearing  have taken  a concreate shape and the Ministry of  Environment  & Forests  has  ultimately  instructed  the  learned  Attorney General  in  writing  (copy placed on  the  record)  that  a Committee  could  be set up by the Court to  look  into  the problem of vehicular pollution in Delhi                                                        873 and  for  devising methods of solution of the  problem.  The Ministry has agreed that a retired Judge of this Court could act as Chairman and has suggested that Shri M.C. Mehta,  the petitioner  herein  and Shri. N.S. Tiwana,  Chairman  of  he Central  Pollution Control Board may be made the Members  of the  Committee.  We  find this suggestion  of  the  Ministry acceptable subject to certain modification. We are  inclined to  take  the  view  that  Shri  Sudhakar  Girdharlal   Shah representing   the   Association   of   Indian    Automobile Manufacturers  could be taken as a member of  the  Committee and  the  Committee  would also have  the  power  to  co-opt experts  not exceeding three for its efficient working  from time  to  time. Shri Justice K.N. Saikia  who  has  recently retired  as  a  Judge  of this Court  is  appointed  as  the Chairman  of the Committee with Shri N.S. Tiwana, Shri  M.C. Mehta  and  Shri. S.G. Shah as Members. The Joint  Secretary in  the  Ministry of Environment and Forests  shall  be  the convenor  Secretary  of the Committee. Shri  Justice  Saikia shall  be  entitled to all the benefits to which  a  retired Judge of this Court while called back to duty is entitled.      The Committee may be constituted with effect from  18th March, 1991, under an appropriate Notification of the  Union Government in the relevant Ministry. The terms of  reference for  the time being as recommended by the Ministry  are  the following:           "(i)  To  make an assessment of  the  technologies           available  for vehicular pollution control in  the           world;           (ii)  To make an assessment of the current  status           of  technology available in India for  controlling           vehicular pollution;           (iii)  To  look at the low cost  alternatives  for           operating vehicles at reduced pollution levels  in           the metropolitan cities of India.           (iv)  To  examine the feasibility of  measures  to           reduce/eliminate  pollution  from  motor  vehicles           both  on short term and long term basis  and  make           appropriate recommendations in this regard;           (v)  To  make  specific  recommendations  on   the           administrative/legal   regulations  required   for           implementing the recommendations in (iii) above." For  the  time being the Committee may proceed  to  consider these.                                                        874 other  relevant aspects may be taken into  consideration  by the Committee.      This  writ petition shall be deemed to be  pending  for the  purpose  of monitoring. The Committee shall  furnish  a report  to  this Court once in two months as  to  the  steps taken  in  the matter. The Union Government  and  the  Delhi Administration  are directed to effectively  cooperate  with the Committee for its successful operation. V.P.R.                                     Petition pending                                            for monitoring.                                                        875

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 7 of 7