1. The conflict in these cases, is the conflict of yesterdays and a new day the conflict of the lifestyle of a lotus eyed leisurely day gone by, and the exacting demands of today on material resources.

2. The coral isles of Lakshadweep, with their wind swept beaches of silver sands washed by the soft ripples of the lagoons, lie scattered like pearls in the sapphire sea, to the west of the Malabar coast. The palm fringed isles are endowed with scenic loveliness; but are not endowed with enough material resources. According to petitioners, ground water resources in these islands are limited. Potable water is in short supply, and large scale withdrawals with electric or mechanical pumps can deplete the water sources, causing seepage or intrusion of saline water from the surrounding Arabian Sea. The administration has evolved a scheme to augment water supply, by digging wells and by drawing water from those existing wells to meet increasing needs. This, petitioners say, would upset the fresh water equilibrium leading to salinity in the available water resources. Pursuant to a scheme recommended by the Kerala Public Health Engineering Department, the administration is said to