SAJAN GEORGE Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners in both these Writ Petitions are aggrieved by the grant of Environmental Clearance ('E.C', for short produced as Exts.P21 and P33 in W.P.(C) Nos.15775 and 29038 of 2025 respectively) to the 10th respondent by the 3rd respondent/State Environment Impact Assessment Authority ('SEIAA', for short). The petitioners seek quashment of the E.C, as also, to initiate action against respondents 8, 9 and 10 for excessive and unauthorised mining and violations of E.C conditions under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

(2.) The parties are referred to in their respective status as shown in the first Writ Petition, W.P.(C) No.15775/2025, for the sake of convenience.

(3.) Heard Smt.Aysha Abraham, learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri.Yeshwanth Shenoy, who addressed arguments on her behalf; Smt.O.M.Shalina, learned D.S.G.I. and Sri.K.S.Bharathan, learned Senior Panel Counsel for R1 Union of India in W.P.(C) Nos.15775/2025 and 29038/2025; Smt.Deepa Narayanan, learned Senior Government Pleader for official respondents 2, 4 and 5; Sri.M.P.Sreekrishnan, learned Standing Counsel for R3 SEIAA, Sri.T.Naveen, learned Standing Counsel for R6 Pollution Control Board; Sri.George Sebastian, learned counsel for R7 Panchayat; Sri.T.H.Abdul Azeez and Sri.Mohammed Sadique T.A, learned counsel for R8 M/s.Palathra Constructions Pvt. Ltd. (R10 in W.P.(C) No.29038/2025); Sri.Philip T. Varghese, learned counsel for R9 M/s.Rockfield Estates Pvt. Ltd. (R11 in W.P.(C) No.29038/2025); Sri.T.Krishnanunni, learned Senior Counsel, duly instructed by Adv.Jolly John, on behalf of R10 M/s.RDR Crushers Pvt. Ltd. (R12 in W.P.(C) No.29038/2025)