Environmental, Social Justice & Governance Initiatives
Some positive outcomes of ESG’s public interest litigation efforts
ESG has spearheaded a variety of Public Interest Litigations advancing environmental and social justice in India with path-breaking outcomes. For instance, the effort to resolve solid waste management crisis in Bangalore, by promoting segregation and management of waste at source and securing occupational rights of solid waste workers is an outcome of ESG’s PIL (WP 46523/2012) in the Karnataka High Court. As a part of this litigation process, governance of Bengaluru was also decentralised with the court directing Ward Committees must be set up.
ESG’s PIL (WP 817/2008) advancing community centred and decentralised protection and comprehensive rehabilitation of lakes found support with the Karnataka High Court which directed Karnataka State to constitute the District Lake Protection Committees to ensure 40,000 lakes and their interconnecting canal systems running into 1000s of kilometres are protected from encroachment, and rehabilitated in ecologically wise and socially useful ways. This litigation also resulted in the creation of the Karnataka Tank Conservation Development Authority by a special law.
ESG’s PIL initiatives in the Karnataka High Court, National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court exposing biopiracy by Monsanto (in the B.t. Brinjal case) is the first such case in India. This has pushed National Biodiversity Authority and State Biodiversity Boards to become functional and stem the loot of bioresources. Besides, it has contributed immensely in conservation of biodiversity in India and associated traditional knowledge.
In another PIL initiative, ESG drew the attention of the National Green Tribunal to the systemic and statutory lack of protection of arid grassland ecosystems, habitat to such critically endangered species as the Great India Bustard, by questioning the legality of diversion of Amrit Mahal Kaval grasslands to a ‘science city’ in Chitradurga district of Karnataka.
ESG has filed a PIL before the National Green Tribunal questioning the need for the Elevated Corridor in Bangalore.
PIL raises grave concerns on prevailing weaknesses in Biodiversity Act that is contributing to biodiversity loss and associated traditional rights
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ESG, along with Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, organized a seminar on Decentralised, Socially Inclusive & Ecologically Wise protection &Rehabilitation of lakes, kaluves and Water Commons of Karnataka.
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Environment Support Group has been involved in initiating resilient and sustainable structural reforms in waste management through field, policy and legal interventions for over two decades now. Our work, primarily based out of Bangalore metropolitan area (14 million) and Karnataka State, is in coordination with similar efforts nationwide. We work closely with trade unions advancing labour, occupational and health rights of those handling waste, and we also work with vulnerable communities suffering serious contamination due to waste disposal, to ensure their Rights to Health, Clean Environment, Life and Livelihoods is upheld.
Read moreBased on the petitions filed by ESG, WP 817/2008 and WP 38401/2014 – PILs relating to protection, conservation and rehabilitation
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Collated here are petitions, affidavits, memos and notes filed by ESG to protect lakes of Karnataka before Karnataka High Court (WP 817/2008 & WP 38401/2014) and Supreme Court of India (Civil Appeal 17166/2013). You will also find here judicial orders, reports and laws that are an outcome of this ongoing effort. This section will be updated frequently.
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On 15 June 2021, the Principal Bench of the Karnataka High Court headed by Chief Justice Abhay Oka pronounced an order that will significantly change lake governance across Karnataka state, in rural and urban areas. This order will now pave the way for truly decentralised governance of lakes as commons, allowing the local public direct access to these Committees. The order was issued in response to an application made by Leo F. Saldanha, Coordinator of Environment Support Group, who sought modifications to the landmark 2012 judgment in ESG’s Lakes PIL Environment Support Group v. State of Karnataka (W.P. No. 817/2008), to strengthen lake governance from the ground up.
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By Ashwin Lobo, Research Associate, ESG. In January 2021, the ESG team visited these villages to understand the futuristic Science City means to the local communities. The stories we heard left us grasping for reason, as we struggled to fully comprehend just how much they have lost; We also were amazed by their resilience, particularly their feisty spirit to struggle on and protect the last remaining patches of these once pristine grasslands.
Read moreAccess ESG’s various legal efforts to conserve greenery in urban and rural areas, including Public Interest Litigations and its outcomes.
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Public Interest Litigations were filed in the morning of 19th December 2019 challenging the imposition of Sec 144 of The Code
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Downloads: ESG NGT PIL Admitted Order Against Unnecessary Plastic 30 Jan 2018 OA 38/2018 Annexure A1-2 Annexure A3-4 Annexure A5-7
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Edited by : Raphaelle Moor & M.V. Rajeev Gowda (original source) Published by – Oxford University Press, India 24 June
Read moreExtensive construction was ongoing in violation of NGT orders and environmental and forest protection laws 26 February 2014 Downloads: ESG
Read moreMeanwhile, Karnataka scandalously transfers prosecuting officers in biopiracy case 21 November 2012 Downloads: ESG Release: PIL on Biodiversity Loss and
Read more16 October 2012 Downloads: ESG Release: PIL on Biodiversity Loss and Biopiracy Release: 16 October 2012: Bangalore Public Interest Litigation
Read moreA One Day Workshop for Children (Ages 7-15) 8 September 2012 ; Time: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm ; Venue:
Read moreESG’s PIL is basis for this proposal 2 November 2011 Downloads: Press Release on Justice Patil Report on Privatisation of
Read more11 August 2011 Downloads: Annexure A: Copy of ESG’s complaint to NBA, 15th Feb 2010 Annexure B: Copy of letter
Read morePress Release : 22 May 2010 Downloads: Press Release Mangalore Air Crash 22 May 2010 An Air India Express Boeing
Read moreMangalore Air Crash Tragic Fallout of Criminal Negligence of Planning and Regulatory Authorities Press Release : Mangalore : 22 May
Read moreESG has consistently been involved in issues and concerns relating to municipal solid waste management in Bangalore metropolitan area since
Read moreUpdate(30 Nov 2022): The Hon’ble Supreme Court of India by its order dated 22nd November 2022 allowed a Special Leave Petition filed
Read moreDownloads: FAQ on How Biological Diversity Act applies to the approval of Bt Brinjal (GMO) in India FAQ on Kannada
Read moreVimana Nildhana Vistharana Virodhi Samithi (Citizens Alliance Against Airport Expansion), a committee of project affected communities largely constituting Dalit families,
Read moreDownloads: wp-817-2008-orders-160112.doc campaigns,lakes,resources,bangalore,commons,east india hotels,high Court,Justice Khehar,Justice N. K. Patil,Justice Vikramjit Sen,karnataka,lake development authority,lakes,leo saldanha,Oberoi,privatisation,sunil dutt yadav
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