Justice G.R. Swaminathan said the government and the people had a constitutional obligation to protect the environment and ecology – not only for the benefit of the present but also for the future. The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by farmers who sought a direction to the authorities to restrain rough stone quarrying in the hillock. The government submitted that no rules or norms were violated and the quarrying operations were carried out in a scientific manner.

NEWS CITIES MADURAI
MADURAI HC stops quarrying operations to protect hillock
STAFF REPORTER
MADURAI, MAY 27, 2021 18:37 IST
UPDATED: MAY 27, 2021 18:37 IST

Mountains, forests, hills, hillocks and rivers were nature’s gift and they must be protected for future generations, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court observed while restraining quarrying operations in Thiruppani hillock in Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan said the government and the people had a constitutional obligation to protect the environment and ecology – not only for the benefit of the present but also for the future.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by farmers who sought a direction to the authorities to restrain rough stone quarrying in the hillock. The government submitted that no rules or norms were violated and the quarrying operations were carried out in a scientific manner.

Taking note of the submissions, the court observed, “The government of the day cannot arbitrarily give away hills and hillocks for exploitation. Merely because the process of issuance of mining lease was conducted in consonance with the statutory procedure, that would not confer any immunity against judicial scrutiny. Unless there are supervening public interest considerations, hills and hillocks cannot be given away for mining”.

Permitting quarrying operations to continue would lead to total destruction of the hillock , the court said and restrained quarrying operations in Thiruppani hillock.

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