Gustakhi Maaf Justice Surya Kant-Ji-Your statement about environment activists is in bad taste – As environment activist my case against powerful builder is pending in SC double bench headed by your goodself.
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana – Pawan Kumar Bansal
Justice Surya Kant’s recent comments about environmental activists have triggered a nationwide debate. A group of 72 lawyers, law students, law faculty members, legal researchers, and activists trained in law has written an open letter to the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, demanding a retraction of the Supreme Court’s recent observations regarding the filing of petitions allegedly aimed at stalling development projects.
Justice Surya Kant may be correct in observing that some individuals misuse courts to delay development projects for vested interests. However, such sweeping remarks are in poor taste and risk undermining genuine environmental concerns.
I would like to share with my enlightened readers that, as an environmental activist, my own and activist RK Sharma,s case is
presently pending before a Supreme Court division bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant. The case was admitted by the bench as an appeal against the judgment of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had dismissed our petition against a Gurugram-based builder accused of carrying out construction on 4486 sq m of Nathupur bundh and more than 1 ha of Nathupur Drain…….
We had been inspired by Supreme Court judgement vide Indian council for Enviro Legal Action vs Union of india case (1996) wherein Hon’ble SC had exhorted Voluntary bodies to take up Environmental issues so that powerful and resourceful people don’t get away with law.
Earlier, the Haryana Forest Department’s case against the builder was proceeding in the Faridabad Environment Court. However, the case was withdrawn by the Haryana government led by Manohar Lal Khattar. Subsequently, retired Haryana IFS officer and environmental activist R.K. Sharma and me challenged this withdrawal before the National Green Tribunal, arguing that the Haryana government had no authority to withdraw the case from the Environment Court.
Following the NGT’s dismissal of our plea, a writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court and admitted by the bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant. Notices have now been issued to the Union Government, the Haryana Government, and the builder concerned.Next date of hearing is fixed for 24.07.2026.No counter affidavits have been filed by the govt and other respondents till date.