AIROnline 2025 SC 353

Supreme Court Of India

Hon'ble Judge(s): Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, Manoj Misra , JJ

National Green Tribunal Act (19 of 2010) , S.14— Environment (Protection) Act (29 of 1986) , S.3(2)(v), S.6, S.25— Environment (Protection) Rules (1986) , R.5— EIA Notification (2006) , Para.7(iii)(a), Appendix X— Sand mining - Quashing of e-auction notice and LOI s - Ground of absence of District Survey Report (DSR) - There is a mandatory requirement of preparation of a DSR - A valid and a subsisting DSR alone can be basis for an application for grant of environmental clearance - In absence of a valid, final and subsisting DSR, e-auction notice issued for sand mining and consequent grant of LOIs were rightly quashed. In the instant case, quashing of e-auction notice issued for sand mining and consequent grant of LOIs on the ground of absence of valid, final and subsisting DSR, was under challenge. Held, there is a mandatory requirement of preparation of a DSR. A valid and subsisting DSR alone can be basis for an application for grant of environmental clearance. In absence of a valid, final and subsisting DSR, e-auction notice issued for sand mining and consequent grant of LOIs were rightly quashed. Court observed that, considering the regulatory regime introduced from time to time, increasing the width as well as the depth of scrutiny before granting environmental clearance for sand mining, it can be said that there is a mandat....