Wetlands are a valuable natural resource that provide numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits, and their preservation is essential for the well-being of society.

UMESH CHANDRA BENERJEE, J.

( 1 ) POPULATION growth and modern technological developments by themselves pose a great threat to the very existence of living and non-living organisms - this is not confined to a particular region, but it has crossed transnational frontiers. In 1972 the Stockholm Conference under the auspices of the United Nations did deliberate upon the issues of protection of human environment. The Habitat Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, 1976 and the World Water Conference at Argentina in 1977 recorded a detailed discussion as regards the water pollution. It is not out of place to mention that water pollution along with the pollution in the air and the noise pollution are in a much higher degree in the metropolitan centres than in the rural sectors and as such population influx and technological developments can be ascribed to be the two basic factors for such environmental degradation. The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute has confirmed that levels of sulphur dioxide and other particulate matters in big cities have exceeded the permissible limits as prescribed by the World Health Organisation (W. H. O. ).

( 2 ) WHILE it is true that in a developing country there shall have to be developments, but that development shall have to be in closest possible harmony with the environment, as otherwise there would be development but no environment, which would result in total devastation, though, however, may not be felt in presenti but at some future point of time, but then it would be too late in the day, however, to control and improve the environment. Nature will not tolerate us after a certain degree of its destruction and it will in any event, have its toll on the lives of the people : Can the present-day society afford to have such a state and allow the nature to have its toll in future - the answer shall have to be in the negative : The present day society has a responsibility towards the posterity for their proper growth and development so as to allow the posterity to breathe normally and live in a cleaner environment and have a consequent fuller development:time has now come therefore, to check and control the degradation of the environment and since the Law Courts also have a duty towards the society for its proper growth and further development and more so by reason of definite legislations in regard thereto as noted hereinafter, it is a plain exercise of the judicial power to see that there is no such degradation : of the society and there ought not to be any hesitation in regard thereto - but does that mean and imply stoppage of every developmental programme - the answer is again 'no' :there shall have to be a proper balance between the development and the environment so that both can co-exist without affecting the other. On the wake of the 21st century, in my view, it is neither feasible not practicable to have a negative approach to the development process of the country or of the society, but that does not mean, without any consideration for the environment. As noted above, there should be a proper balance between the protection of environment and the development process : The society shall have to prosper, but not at the cost of the environment and in the similar vein, the environment shall have to be protected but not at the cost of the development of the society - there shall have to be both development and proper environment and as such, a balance has to be found out and administrative actions ought to proceed in accordance therewith and not d'hors the same.

( 3 ) ERRONEOUSLY at times pollution is equated with environment. In fact, pollution is one of the aspects of environment and the expression 'environment' has to be viewed with all its components and considered in its totality. There are indeed a wide range of physical, biological and man-made components that interact in building up an environment. This has made the subject complex and a matter for multi-disciplinary

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