Pushpa Sathyanarayana, J.

The need to protect the environment has emerged as a burning issue, which ultimately lead to the new concept of 'sustainable development. Since time immemorial, people across the world have always made efforts to preserve and protect the natural resources like air, water, plants, flora and fauna. Lakes and water bodies are gifts of nature. There is no possibility of getting further gifts of such nature. We should be content with the resources already given by the nature. Therefore, we should protect these valuable resources so as to enable the future generation to maintain it for the years to come for common good of all. There should be a harmonious approach in the matter of development vis-a-vis ecology. Environment plays a pivotal role in the life of human beings and, therefore, it is necessary to have a study with regard to impact on ecology because of the massive projects of development involving utilisation of natural wealth like wet lands, water bodies, lakes, etc.

2. Article 51-A(g) of our Constitution contains a Constitutional mandate to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life. The Hon'ble