Supreme Court of India

M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath and Ors.

Neutral citation

Bench Kuldip Singh and S. Saghir Ahmad JJ.

Decided 13 December 1996

INSC stands for INDIAN SUPREME COURT. A neutral citation scheme assigned by the Court itself, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter. INSC is the neutral citation scheme assigned by the Supreme Court, so a judgment can be cited without depending on a commercial law reporter.

23 Supreme Court benches have cited this judgment.

What the Court ordered

The writ petition is disposed of except for limited purpose indicated above.

Judgment, p. 48

From the headnote

Environmental Law : Constitution of India, 1950 : Article 32. Public Interest Litigation-Ecology-Environmental Pollution-River Beas-Public Trust Doctrine-Grant of lease-Of riparian forest land for commercial purpose to private company which operated a Motel located at bank of River, by State Government-Motel management interfered with natural flow of river-Held, Public Trust Doctrine was part of Indian Law-It extended to natural resources such as rivers, forests, seashores, air etc. for purposes of protecting ecosystem-State Government committed breach of public trust-Prior sanction granted by Ministry of Environment and Forest and lease granted in favour of Motel quashed-Polluter Pays Principle applicable-Hence polluter company liable to pay compensation in terms of cost for restitution of environment and ecology of the area-Other directions issued.

Authorities it was built on

Illinois Central R.R. Company v. Illinois
Gould v. Greylock Reservation Commission
National Audubon Society v. Superior Court of Alpine County
1996 Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India and Ors. cited by 29
Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India

Where later benches applied it

2024 Gene Campaign & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. relied on
2024 In Re : T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Ors. relied on
2016 Anita Kushwaha v. Pushap Sudan relied on
2013 Association for Environment Protection v. State of Kerala and Others relied on
2013 Centre for Environment Law, Wwf-1 v. Union of India & Others relied on
2012 T.N. Godavarman Thirumalpad v. Union of India & Others relied on
2025 Swacch Association, Nagpur v. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. referred to
2025 Kamla Nehru Memorial Trust & Anr. v. U.P. State Industrial Development Corporation Limited & Ors. referred to
2025 Vellore District Environment Monitoring Committee Rep. by its Secretary Mr. R. Rajebdran v. The District Collector, Vellore District & Others referred to
2024 Property Owners Association & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Ors. referred to
2024 IN RE : SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT 1955 versus referred to
2024 Mineral Area Development Authority & Anr. v. M/s Steel Authority of India & Anr. Etc. referred to
2023 Kaushal Kishor v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors. referred to
2022 In Re: T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India and Ors. referred to
2021 Rajeev Suri v. Delhi Development Authority & Ors referred to
2020 The Project Director, Project Implementation Unit v. P.V. Krishnamoorthy and Ors. referred to
2019 Tata Housing Development Company Ltd v. Aalok Jagga and Others referred to
2019 Hanuman Laxman Aroskar v. Union of India referred to
2014 State of Nct of Delhi v. Sanjay referred to
2014 T. N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Ors. referred to
2012 Re: Special Reference N0.1 of 2012 v. -- referred to
2012 Centre for Public Interest Litigation and Others v. Union of India and Others referred to
2013 Arun Kumar Agrawal v. Union of India & Others mentioned

Of those, 6 relied on · 16 referred to · 1 mentioned

Sign in free to read it

The full judgment, page by page, as published in the Supreme Court Reports
The ratio: what the Court held, verbatim, with the page it sits on
Every bench that relied on it, and every bench that argued against it
Search every reported judgment, by party, citation or question
Download the PDF, copy pinpoint citations ready for a filing

An email address, no password.