I. Foundations of Environmental Jurisprudence
1. Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1985)
India’s first environmental PIL concerning limestone quarrying in Dehradun. The Supreme Court ordered closure of ecologically harmful mines and held that environmental protection forms part of Article 21.
2. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Oleum Gas Leak) (1986–87)
The Court evolved the doctrine of Absolute Liability, holding hazardous industries strictly liable without exceptions.
3. Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991)
Recognized right to pollution-free water and air under Article 21, while cautioning against misuse of PIL.
4. Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996)
Recognized Sustainable Development, Precautionary Principle, and Polluter Pays Principle.
5. Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India (1996)
Enforced Polluter Pays Principle against toxic industries in Rajasthan.
II. Forest & Wildlife Protection
6. T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India (1995 – continuing)
Expanded definition of forests; imposed nationwide restrictions on deforestation.
7. State of Bihar v. Murad Ali Khan (1988)
Strengthened enforcement under Wildlife Protection Act.
8. Sansar Chand v. State of Rajasthan (2010)
Imposed strict penalties for wildlife poaching.
9. Centre for Environmental Law WWF v. Union of India (2013)
Ordered relocation of Asiatic lions for species preservation.
10. Animal Welfare Board of India v. A. Nagaraja (2014)
Recognized animal dignity; banned Jallikattu (later legislatively modified).
III. Air & Water Pollution
11. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Ganga Pollution) (1988)
Closed polluting tanneries discharging waste into Ganga.
12. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Taj Trapezium) (1997)
Protected Taj Mahal from industrial pollution.
13. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Vehicular Pollution) (1998–2002)
Directed Delhi public transport to convert to CNG.
14. Murli S. Deora v. Union of India (2001)
Prohibited smoking in public places.
15. A.P. Pollution Control Board v. Prof. M.V. Nayudu (1999)
Emphasized precautionary principle and scientific expertise.
IV. Coastal & Natural Resource Protection
16. S. Jagannath v. Union of India (1997)
Closed shrimp farms violating Coastal Regulation norms.
17. M.I. Builders v. Radhey Shyam Sahu (1999)
Applied Public Trust Doctrine to protect public parks.
18. Intellectuals Forum v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2006)
Restored lakes and reaffirmed Public Trust Doctrine.
19. Goa Foundation v. Union of India (2014; 2018)
Cancelled illegal mining leases; emphasized intergenerational equity.
20. Hinch Lal Tiwari v. Kamala Devi (2001)
Ordered restoration of community ponds.
V. Hazardous Industries & Liability
21. Union Carbide Corporation v. Union of India (1989)
Approved settlement in Bhopal Gas Tragedy; shaped environmental mass tort law.
22. Sterlite Industries v. Union of India (2013)
Imposed heavy compensation for environmental damage.
23. Deepak Nitrite Ltd. v. State of Gujarat (2004)
Strengthened enforcement against hazardous industries.
VI. Development vs Environment
24. Narmada Bachao Andolan v. Union of India (2000)
Balanced dam construction with rehabilitation and environmental safeguards.
25. Lafarge Umiam Mining v. Union of India (2011)
Upheld conditional mining with safeguards.
26. Hanuman Laxman Aroskar v. Union of India (2019)
Quashed environmental clearance for EIA non-compliance.
27. Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati (2020)
Held ex post facto environmental clearances impermissible.
VII. Noise, Waste & Urban Environmental Governance
28. In Re: Noise Pollution (2005)
Regulated firecrackers and loudspeakers; linked noise pollution to Article 21.
29. Almitra H. Patel v. Union of India (1998 onward)
Directed scientific municipal solid waste management.
30. Research Foundation for Science v. Union of India (2005)
Regulated hazardous waste imports.
31. Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti v. Union of India (2017)
Directed installation of effluent treatment plants nationwide.
32. Techi Tagi Tara v. Rajendra Singh Bhandari (2017)
Strengthened functioning of Pollution Control Boards.
VIII. Mining, Groundwater & Natural Resources
33. Samaj Parivartana Samudaya v. State of Karnataka (2013)
Cancelled illegal mining leases in Karnataka.
34. Common Cause v. Union of India (2017)
Imposed compensation for illegal mining.
35. M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997)
Formally adopted Public Trust Doctrine in India.
36. Fomento Resorts v. Minguel Martins (2009)
Protected coastal ecology under Public Trust Doctrine.
IX. Climate & Intergenerational Equity
37. Ridhima Pandey v. Union of India (2017)
Highlighted youth climate litigation.
38. M.K. Ranjitsinh v. Union of India (2021)
Protected endangered species from infrastructure threats.
