JUDGMENT :

P.B. SURESH KUMAR, J.

1. Common questions relating to the validity of Environmental Clearance (EC) granted in terms of the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 (2006 notification) issued by the Central Government under sub-section (1) and clause (v) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (the Act), arise for consideration in this batch of writ petitions. The writ petitions are, therefore, disposed of by this common judgment.

2. The facts of the cases involved in this batch are similar, if not identical. As such, it is not necessary to refer to the facts of all cases. I am, therefore, referring to the facts brought out in W.P. (C) No. 17533 of 2020 alone for the purpose of adjudicating the questions.

3. The petitioner in W.P. (C) No. 17533 of 2020 is the grantee of a quarrying lease in terms of the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015 (KMMC Rules) framed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) for extracting building stones for a period of 12 years. In order to commence the operation of the building stone quarry of the petitioner, he applied for EC to the State Level Environment Impac