Role of Indian Judiciary in Sustainable Development

Abstract

Right to wholesome environment is a fundamental right protected under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.2 But the question is, can the environment be protected at present times when almost all the countries in South-East Asia are still at their developing stages? Development comes through industrialization, which in turn the main factor behind the degradation of environment. To resolve the issue, the experts worldwide have come up with a doctrine called 'Sustainable Development', i.e. there must be balance between development and ecology. Sustainable development means that the richness of the earth’s biodiversity would be conserved for future generations by greatly slowing and, if possible, halting extinctions, habitat and ecosystem destruction, and also by not risking significant alternations of the global environment that might – by an increase in sea level or changing rainfall and vegetation patterns or increasing ultraviolet radiation - alter the opportunities available for future generations.