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2008 Supreme(SC) 2178
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
K.G. Balakrishnan, CJI., Arjit Pasayat, S.H. Kapadia, JJ.
T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad - Petitioners
Versus
Union of India & Ors - Respondents
I.A. No. 1442 in WP(C) No. 202/1995
Decided On : 10-11-2008
Mr. Harish N. Salve, Sr.Adv. (A.C.), Mr. Uday U. Lalit, Sr. Adv. (A.C.), Mr. Siddhartha Chowdhury, (A.C.), Mr. A.D.N. Rao, Adv. (A.C.), Advocates.
For the Petitioner:Mr. P.K. Manohar, Mr. Anoop Kr. Srivastava, Mr. Rameshwar Prasad Goyal, Mr. M.K.D. Namboodiri, Mr. J.S. Attri, Mr. R.S. Suri, Advocates.
For the Respondents/Applicants:Mr. G.E. Vahanvati, Sol. Genl. of India, Mr. Haris Beeran, Mr. P. Parmeswaran, Mr. D.S. Mahra, Mr. V.K. Verma, Mr. B.K. Prasad, Mr. G.E. Vahanvati (Sol. Genl. of India), Mr. Ajit Pudussery, Mr. K. Vijayan, Mr. G.E. Vahanvati (Sol. Genl. of India), Mr.Nikhil Goel, Mr. Sayid Morsook Bafaki, Ms. Sheela Goel, Mr. Moha Parasaran, ASG, Mrs. Rekha Pandey, Mr. D.S. Mahra, Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Mr. Abhinash Menon, M/s. Khaitan & Co., Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. Umapathy, Mr. Rohit Mammen Alex, Mr. P.S. Sudheer, Dr. Rajiv Dhavan, Sr. Adv., Mr.Raj Kumar Mehta, Mr. Mragank Sharma, Mr. Anil Srivastava, Mr. Ritu Raj, Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. Jayant Mohan, Mr. Rahul Pratap, Mr. Venayagam Balan, Mr. Sanjay R. Hegde, Mr. Raj Kumar Mehta, Mr. J.K. Das, Ms. Asha G. Nair, Mrs. Anil Katiyar, Mr. B.S. Banthia, Mr. Vikrant S. Bais, Mr. L.N. Rao, Sr. Adv., Mr. Nikhil Goel,Mrs. Sheela Goel, Mr. Sayid Marsook Bafakhi, Mr. Jitendra Mohan Sharma, Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. G.N. Reddy, Mr. Prasanth Sen, Mr. M.P. Maharia, Mr. Sangeeta Kumar, Mr. K.K. Venugopal, Sr. Adv., Mr. P.H. Parekh, Sr. Adv., Mr. Garvesh Kabra, Mr. Sumit Goel, Mr. Gopal Shankar Narayan, Mr. Shubhanshu Padhi, Ms. Rukhmini Bobde, M/s. Parekh & Co., Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. S.B. Uapdhyay, Sr. Adv., Mr. pawan Upadhyay, Ms. Anisha Upadhyay, Ms. Sharmila Upadhyay, Dr. Rajeev Dhawan, Sr. Adv., Mr. Ranjeet Kumar, Sr. Adv., Mrs. Rani Chhabra, Mr. N. Ganapathy, Mr. A. Mariarputham, Sr. Adv., Ms. Aruna Mathur, Mr. P. Parmeswaran, M/s. Arputham, Aruna & Co., Mr. T.N. Rao, Mr. G. Prakash, Mr. P.N. Puri, Mr. Manjit Singh, Mr. T.V. George, Mr. V. Lakshminarayan, Mr. Sharan Thakur, Dr. Sushil Balwada, Mr. C.P. Sharma, Mrs. Geeta Sharma, Mr. Santosh Singh, Mr. Anil Kr. Jha, Mohd. Fuzail Khan, Mr. Ambhoj Kumar Sinha, Mr. S.G. Hasnain, Sr. Adv., Mr. Santosh K. Sethi, Dr. Kailash Chand, Mr. Ajay Kr. Agarwal, Mr. D.K. Sinha, Mr. Arvind Kumar Shukla, Mr. Purcham Mubarak, Mr. Sunil Kumar Shukla, Mr. Shahid Anwar, Mr. G.D. Mishra, Mr. Irshad Ahmad, Mrs. Santosh Singh, Mr. Naresh Kr. Sharma, Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. Rajiv Tyagi, Ms. Chanchla Biswal, Advocates.
For the Karnataka Soaps & Detergents :Mr. Bipin Kallappa, Ms. Rachna Srivastava, Mr. Naveen Kumar Singh, Mr. Aruneshwar Gupta, Mr. Nishe Rajen Shonker, M/s. T.T.K. Deepak & Co., Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv., Mr. V.B. Joshi, Mr. Mohd. Yasir Abbasi, Mr. Rajesh Srivastava, M/s. Suresh A. Shroff & Co., Mr. V. Krihna Murthy, Mr. L.P. Nathani, AG, Mr. Anuvrat Sharma, Mr. M.L. Lahoty, Mr. Paban K. Sharma, Mr. Himanshu Shekhar, M/s. M.V. Kini & Associates, Mr. Vijay Panjwani, Mr. Tarun Johri, Mr. K.C. Dua, Mr. Amit Anand Tiwari, Mr.Sanjay Jain, Ms. Pinky Anand, AAG, Mr. P.N. Gupta, Mr. M.N. Krishnamani, Sr. Adv., Mr. P.K. Jain, Mr. P.K. Goswami, Mr. K.K. Mishra, Mr. Raju Ramachandran, Sr. Adv., Mr. Harsharan Singh, Mr. Dhiraj, Mr. P.N. Puri, Mr. Bhavanishankar V. Gadnis, Mrs. B. Sunita Rao, Advocates.
Headnote:
Seeking permission - Allegation is that certain irregularities have taken place in the grant of permission for mining activities- Nature of the allegations, we request the Lok Ayukta, Karnataka to look into these matters as has been done in the earlier case and a report may be filed within a period of four weeks -When these matters came up last time, we have requested the Ministry of Coal to file an affidavit. So far no such affidavit has been filed. Learned Solicitor General of India is requested to contact the Ministry of Coal for taking appropriate action – Held, application by the State of Rajasthan seeking permission for construction of a Dam in Tehsil Kumbalgarh District Rajsamand to facilitate drinking water in certain villages in Rajasthan. CEC has recommended the project subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. The said conditions are acceptable to the State Government. Subject to the fulfillment of the same, the project is approved -Ministry of Defence seeks permission for upgradation and maintenance of certain existing roads which is passing through the desert National Park in Rajasthan. CEC has examined the project and has held that no widening or upgradation of the existing roads should be done on new black topping. Subject to this, the road work in the Desert National Park may be continued. In case the Ministry of Defence finds any difficulty, it would be at liberty to file an application. The existing black topping can be repaired or the surplus could be renewed
ORDER :
I.A. NO. 1442 :
1. List on 28.11.2008.
I.A. No. 1426 and 1768 :
2. Allegation is that certain irregularities have taken place in the grant of permission for mining activities. In view of the nature of the allegations, we request the Lok Ayukta, Karnataka to look into these matters as has been done in the earlier case and a report may be filed within a period of four weeks. We make it clear that we have not examined any of the alleged irregularities on merits and we express no opinion. It is made clear the uninfluenced that it is being referred, a report may be filed. All the records may be made available by the CEC to the Lok Ayukta for appropriate action. Before finalising the report, the Lok Ayukta may give reasonable opportunity to the applicants of being heard.
3. Liberty to mention after the report is made available to this Court.
I.A. Nos. 2164, 2167, 2298, 2378, 2379 in 1413 :
4. When these matters came up last time, we have requested the Ministry of Coal to file an affidavit. So far no such affidavit has been filed. Learned Solicitor General of India is requested to contact the Ministry of Coal for taking appropriate action.
I.A.No.2293-94, 2298 :
5. We are told that the CEC has cleared the project.
6. List on 14.11.2008.
I.A.Nos.2331-32 in 2167 :
7. We had requested the Lok Ayukta of Karnataka to submit a report in a sealed cover regarding the mining in forest by Narayan Mines Pvt. Ltd. in the State of Karnataka. The Lok Ayukta has submitted the report but we are told that the applicants herein were not heard before finalising the report and the applicants have got various objections to the report. We request the Lok Ayukta to afford an opportunity to the applicants and after that a report be submitted to this Court within a period of six weeks. The records may be sent back to the Lok Ayukta and the parties be given notice by the Lok Ayukta.
I.A.Nos.1287, 1570-1571, 1624-1625, 1978, 2395 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 :
8. CEC has filed a report regarding the working of the Sandalwood oil factories in various parts of India. Learned counsel appearing for some of the private owners of the sandalwood factories stated that they were not being heard before giving such a report. It is also contended that these factories are being operated in different States and there is no allegation that there is illegal cutting of sandalwood trees in the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Applicants in I.A.Nos.1570-71, 1624-25, 1978, 2395 be given an opportunity of being heard by CEC and a report be filed within a period of six weeks. All the applicants may get in touch with the CEC in this connection.
I.A.Nos.2278-2279 with 2275 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 :
9. The Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project proposes to repair the road which is passing through the Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) having a length of 28.9 kms. CEC has examined the matter and subject to certain conditions has recommended the same. These conditions are acceptable to the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project and subject to fulfillment of the conditions as recommended by the CEC, the applicant may go ahead with the project.
10. The applications are disposed of accordingly.
I.A.Nos.2160-2161 in 1399, 2185 in I.A.728, 2248-2249 in 1694, 2254, 2280, 2284-2286, 2314-2315, 2316-2317, 2323-2324, 2325-2327, 2376-2377, 2383- 2385, 2393-2394 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 : W.P.(C)NO.23/2008 : W.P.(C)No.24/2008 : W.P.(C)No.33/2008 : W.P.(C)No.131/2008 : W.P.(C)No.522/2007 : W.P.(C)No.D 33560/2006 : W.P.(C)No.D30339/2006 : W.P.(C)NO.116/2007 :
11. List on 14.11.2008.
I.A.No.2370 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 :
12. Issue notice to CEC. CEC to file its report within a period of six weeks.
I.A.Nos.2333-2334 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 :
13. Issue notice to CEC. CEC to file its report within a period of six weeks.
I.A.No.2335 in W.P.(C)No.202/1995 :
14. This is an application by the State of Rajasthan seeking permission for construction of a Dam in Tehsil Kumbalgarh District Rajsamand to faci
