Goemkarponn Desk
MARGAO: Justice F.M. Reis said that Environmental law has steadily grown in the last few decades and Indian judiciary has exonerated the growth of Indian environmental awareness and even in the international arenas.
Justice Reis was speaking after inaugurating the Goa Foundation/Kaere Law College Public Interest Law course.
“Environmental law has steadily grown in the last few decades and Indian judiciaryhas exonerated the growth of Indian environmental awareness and even in the international arenas. India is known to have rich natural resources which have a lot of minerals and a vast fertile land for agriculture,” said Justice Reis
He further said that we have to ensure intergenerational equity to maintain fairness and justice between generations. Our generation has to preserve natural resources for the future. Every generation has an equal right to use the resources at present and preserve the diversity from being exploited.
“The Indian judiciary/ judicial precedents have also recognised the principle of Public Trust Doctrine, which implies that the Indian government has the duty to protect the natural resources. The government is the trustee of the natural resources and the beneficiaries are the public at large who are entitled to enjoy seashores, the running waters, the lakes and the rivers,” he added
He said that Human beings are dependent on the environment – a safe, clean , healthy and sustainable environment is what all human beings look for. It is an integral part for the enjoyment of all the legal rights which include the right to life, the right to food and right to sanitation.
“Legal knowledge on the constitutional origins concerning the protection of the environment is the need of the day because it helps to amplify the sphere of awareness of environment and ecology issues and sensitize the public at large to maintain ecology and to preserve it,” he said
