Karnataka High Court
P K Fravesh vs The State Of Karnataka on 9 March, 2010
Equivalent citations: 2010 (2) AIR KAR R 689, AIR 2010 (NOC) (SUPP) 1036 (KAR.)
Author: B.S.Patil
Bench: B.S.Patil
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALGEE
DATED THIS THE 9TH DAY OF MARCH, 20.1"
PRESENT H' " '.
THE H()N'BLE MR.JUS'I'ICE
AND _ .
THE HONBLE
W.P.Nos.26621-629/2609"-{GM-MV)'---A
W. P.No. 17493/2o09':'»(§2M}REs}1=rL).
w.P'.No.919[2.o1o _(GrM-RES4~.?'Iv!J
In W.P.Nos.Zfiififivlféilifa./2€)QS§;' if}
1. Mr. P.}:_.Er_aves'h',."'.._» _ '
S/0 Iate--P.I{.Unarn'e»r:;~V
Proprieton MT,' 5. P;'K.Tr a'veI'::.,
Aged 32 yeei'1=s,"
N 0. L1 , "C.orpor2itiQn Buiiding,
'~ Kahfiijaalyaxn Main
BangaId:§: -5560 002.
2. P.1?a1{a.shan,
W/o"Mr. M;f€f.Pi*akashan,
Proprietrix. M / s.Ka1paka Travels,
I No.84~~..85,. Opp. Post Office,
5'§a£asipa13%am Main Road,
Barigalore -- 560 002.
' ;Nadeeb Ahmed,
"Aged 33 years,
M/s. S.K.S.Trave1s, No.10/C,
'S/0 late S.Nissar Ahmed,
Kaisipalyam Main Road,
Bangaiore -- 560 002.
4. Sn' P.Hameed,
Aged 44 years,
S/o Sri Kunhimoosa,
Prop. M / s.Sagar Travels,
No.100, KHB Coloney,
Koramangala,
Bangalore -- 560 002.
5. Sri Zameer Ahmed,
Aged 50 years.
.Managing Partner, .
M / s.SRMS Tours & Travels, ~.
No.1003, Old Post Office Road, '
Kolar. g
6. Sr: K.R.Suresh Kumar, '
Aged 42 years, " .
S/0 late K.V.Ran1akrishr'iar1, . 'A
Proprietor, A
M/ s. Kallacla.'£?o11rjs_ and Tra;:els--._" v
No. 14, Hosilr Azlaln l~"'<'oad",'Cj '
Madiva1a,,_gBanug'alCete 5 5_6f)_ O68«._____
7. Sri Rajeslie--Ifl{'.Batlilja,' = H'
A ed 38 ear-s,V "
Sgols/11'. ..s.ea»:h_1;a,
'~ Propriefor, M/s.Arnbil+:a Travels,
"I9/L2, TIS.P.Road,
Main Road,
A *--.If3aI1g"8AiiO.1"$.f 002.
8. Sri Aharned,
~g Aged 60"'y,ears,
»S /0 late, E-'gshamshu ddin,
._Prop, M/'s. SKS Travels,
No, 10;,/C, Kalsipalyam Main Road,
_ 1*?-aflgalore -- 560 002.
ll P.l\/luralidharan,
Aged 40 years,
S/o C.Kumarar1,
Prop. Golden Travels,
In W.P.No. 17498/2069
BETWEEN:
Sri L.Srinivasa Babu,
S/o Lingappa,
Aged about 37 years,
Advocate, No.3{)?', 3"' Floor,
Kurubara Sangha Building,
2" Cross, Gandhinagar,
Bangalore -- 560 009.
{By Party-in--person.}
AND:
E. The State of Karnatakakij ,_
By its Secretary,
Department of Forest,
Environment 8: Ecology" -- if V
Vikasa Soudha,"'a_'_'-- __ ,_
Bangalore -5 ~ «
2. The Principal Clzief' "
Conservator of Forests = V l.
(Wild life), Aranya .Bhavan;"
Mallgiiswaram, Bangalore -- O3.
' :"1'i1eVt'I3e15tity.Conservator of
_ l¥'ore'sts','-Project Tiger Division,
1'3._a'n_L_ii.pi;:r,"*€}undl'u.pet Taluk, -
Ctlamarajailagar District.
_ 4, The Depafy Commissioner,
"and District Magistrate.
A '~ltj"Chairc1,arajanagar District,
Cham'araj anagar.
Kamataka and Kerala
it " V _ Travellers Forum,
Represented by C.Kunjappar1u_.
Aged about 60 years,
S/o late Kunjanpilla,
Joint Convener,
No.43, Modal Officer Colony,
Near Ayyappana Temple,
T.Dasaraha11i,
Bangalore - 57.
6. The Managing Director,
Kerala State Road Transport
Corporation,
Transport Bhavan,
East Fort,
Thiruvanantapuram -- 23.
7. State of Kerala,
By its Secretary,
Transport Department',
Government Secretariat,' ll _ ,
Thiruvananthapurarn, v
Keraia. T'
8. M.I.Sha_n_aVas,_ _ ..
S/ o Ibrahirnlititty, if ' _
Aged about--58Vy4ears','~ _ _ ._
Hon'b1e'J\/Iember o17f%'a,r1ia._m'en.?L,
Wayanad 'Co1l1stit'uer'icy,.-- V
Orphanage '}:"{oad,. _ -- ''
Mukkam, P.O.,"
- _ Kozililikode £_)istrict; ' ~ ---------- -« *
9,. V M . K;Raghaxfan,' H
"S /o_ late Krjshna.n Nambiar,
wed' about [57 years,
Hon«'.b£e,__Mem,*ber of Parliament,
T Kozhiiiode Constituency.
"'Resident.. at Asoka.
.. f »CiV1'i View Street,
* T ' Civil_,'A5taf:ion P.O.,
* Kozhikode District.
V 2 "State of Tamil Nadu,
Rep. by the District Collector,
Nilgiris District, Nilgiris.
11. The Dlstrlct Coilector,
Nflgzrls Dzstnct,
Udhagamandalam,
Nilgiris.
12. Kerala Vya arl,
Vyavaseu E opana Sam1th1, -
Dlstract Commlttee Wayanad. '
Reg. No.262/81, NCR Bullchng,
North Ka1apetta--673 122.
R/ by its Presldent,
K.K.Vasudevan,
S/o Kmshnankutty,
Aged about 53 years,
R/atAn3a1: Traders,
Keertl Tower, ' V '
Sulthan Bathery V111age,_ "
Suithan Bathery Taluk, V' ' -1 . -
Wayanaad Distr1_Ct, 2: A '
Kerala Sta.te;». ' f A_ 'V _ V , RESPONDENTS
(By Sri Ashok 'HarV?anal};aiEi,' for . Sri R.'c3.K_o11e, Acmfoy "to R-4;
Sri K.Giriidhar 8; S1f_i'P§V._Va«sudevan, Advs. for R-5 & R-- 12; Sri P.G.Laza1: Adv. for ~R56.;
Sri K_.Suman, Ad\{.ffor'v_R¥'7;
Sri.;S.Té\./Iahesh-,._Adv. for R-8 & R-9; _ sxvmr.;\L.Raghupathy--;----Adv. for 12-10 & R--1 1; V Sri Kalya11_Ba,savaraj, ASG for impieading applicant} In W.15;'No.91§;_;§b1o _ V Anup.B.P..
_ Prakash B.S., ' Aged about 24 years, VA ..._l\?o.6, Sneha Apartments, 3"? Cross, SVG Nagar, Bangalore -- 560 072.
2. Waynaad Prakruthi Samrakshna Samithi, Naikatty House, Naikatty Post, Sulthan Batheri Taluk, Waynaad District ~»- 673 592, Kerala, Represented by its President, Sri N.Badushah.
(By Smt. Ant: Chengappa.P., Adv.) AND:
1.
U! State of Karnataka, V Represented by Chief Secretary, " , Vidhana Souolha, _ Bangalore -- 560 001.
Principal Secreta1_y_;. . , .,. V Forests, Ecology E_3nvironmen_t, f-- V Government ofb_'Ka"1"'n'atak-a'; it "
M.S.Building, 1', A Bangalore «. "
Chief Wildlife Warden, ' _ .
Kamataka ,Forest'~jDepartn1ent, 41" Floor, Arariya. VB}-1av~.an',*~* "
18"? Cross, Malleswararn, v Bangalore +._ 560 003.-«--~ * . The Commissioner, ' ~ Ch.amarvajnVaga1'v District, Chainarajrragar.
The Conservator of Forests; Pro} ect Tiger Division. " V»13and.,ipur, Gundlupet Taluk, ' Chamarajanagar District.
._.VC§1ief Engineer, National Highways Authority of India, Annexe Building.
2"' Floor, K.R.Circle, Bangalore ~» 560 001. RESPGVIENTS 7 PETITi0REn,sisr carrying on transport business with valid permit to rtinggthe buses plying through certain specified areas Bandipur National Park Area.
2. During the pendency of these p_p--etitio.n"st;._ various. persons have come up with applications 'the~rns.elves*, claiming that they are also interested in "airingv.theirgggrilexiance it before this Court. Theses'applican'LstVt_:inclutle the"'Kerala Road Transport Corporation by State of Keraia represented by its.:gSecret;ar5iéb State of Tamilnadu Collector; District Sri M.I.Shanavas.
Member of. Constituency, Kozhikocle District; _ _andt""..F;'vIv"i vl\¥I_K;~Rag'l1aVan, Member of Parliament, it 'i{.ozhiE§fioEie;g_Con._stituen(:y;State of Kerala. 3*. V "necessary for appreciating the questions C by irivolvetl incl.ut'riug the nature of the reliefs sought in these writ _ petitions the background setting for the same are stated as .__un'der: C' Bandipur Tiger Reserve and National Park is a Very Cixnvportant and echo sensitive wildlife habitat. Two National fifi/, wlla night till 6 a.m. in the early morning. However, in order to help the public and the villagers, two buses were allowedntog ply between the said hours i.e.. to say from 9 p.m. to emergency services regarding medical care and plying "of 0' ambulances were permitted by making"«provisi;cn"forV giving passes for the same. Based on Jnotice"
07.06.2009 came to be issuedlintimating theft order will come into force with effect '"-3g4».06.l'200.9....i3
5. However, by anothergorder the Deputy Commissioner order '03..06.2009 stating that the Withdrawal' provisioi2..ai1y made, as a.-er the issue of the notification. dated * «representations were received from P.VKrishna~ Prasad, Sulthan Batheri and Assistant 'V'Pranspoit Qfficer, Kalpetta, Wayanad, stating that the orderlrriight. inconvenience to the people of Wayanad and other .o'i7]__K.era1a. Aggrieved by the withdrawal of the 'no_tification"and requesting for issuance of a direction to the a{i'thVori'ties concerned to implement and enforce the night ban __ traffic on these two roads and also seeking a direction to the Engineer, National Highways Authority of India -~ respondent No.6 in W.P.No.9l9/2010 not to widen the existing E'/.
_l2W National Highway No.2l2 and National Highway No.67 irito.pfour lane highways and further to introduce several safety_ineas'idres to mitigate animal kills due to speeding vehicles, two V' interest litigations referred to a;b6've'<. have; W.P.No. 17498/2009 is filed by Sri L.Siir1i\rasbabt1_;v_i.an Adv:§'c.aTt'e..u of Bangalore, presenting the afoierrientioned Vsceifi1ar*ioV.M"'£n the it said writ petition, this Cvotirt has""granted..an order of stay of the withdrawal of imposed vide order dated o3.oe_.j;;0Q9 Cofivnrnissioner. The interim orderiis a result, the ban order dated i-Na/gération.
6. Agg;r~i.§V'geI authorities in imposing the ban and serious" girievance about the hardship and .v.prejud»iee the ban_____onv the trafiic in the area has caused to "the :S€»VC1'3,1 'busppdoperators carrying on transport business, the bd"s~d13eratd:?é"_vha;{e' 'tiled W.P.No.2662l~629/2009. _ 7*,' Eispoiusing the cause of the public and the need to protect preserve the Wildlife so as to maintain the ecological party--in--pers0n Sri I...SriniVasbabu and learned " Smt. P.Anu Chengappa and the learned Senior Counsel Sri Ravivarrna Kumar have canvassed before the Court several Br _24.i Commissioner has no jurisdiction or power to issue the notification prohibiting the night traffic.
17. We have heard in detail all the learned Counsei"appeari_ng2 p for the parties and have carefully examined the..enti»re inateriai's., produced by the parties.
18. In the light of the respectirdevlicgai conteiitionvs up by" V L' the learned Counsel for the points-tha_t§ arise for consideration are, (1') "in the preservation and " t"p.*0tee;tion::?Q')t wild"-life 'iidiiie Bandipur National Park,' i't."4rieces__s'c;ry to regulate and restrict '' {tight tr<:gfficair:
it 21f so," best the hardship caused to the ~ 'rrdrisportersi traders and public can be I9. points being interconnected are considered .. j »- together. " _ _ 3 'The situation presented in this batch of cases is of serious aiiublic Importance viewed from both angles. The interest of Eprotecting and preserving the wildiife is undoubtedly very 3'/_.
_35c
26. The stand taken by the Chief Engineer, Ngatoional Highways in so far as the legal aspect is concerned:Vi:sfl'q1.ii'te untenable as the restriction has nothing to do to be exercised over the National comes out of the concern for the maintain the ecological balance'-ti.:ri""»the area of the National par}: and tiger ggwhichis National importance. The Deputy on the basis of a comprehensiye___ form of letter submitted bygthie gotlllorest Tiger Reserve which consetluences that are ensuing during night. to the heavy night traffic through response made by the Deputy _ VComHii:§_§sioner who in charge of the District where the park is Vlfisituatelci whose jurisdiction the incidents are taking pA1aCc"'l€:anno't"_.3o_e fault with. He has exercised his powers V by under"'f5ect_ioi1-.i"'15 of the Motor Vehicles Act read with Rule 221~ theekarnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Therefore, ef..._t.he power and having regard to the urgent necessity of it protecting the wild life, the Deputy Commissioner has acted on 4"havi_n'g regard to the purpose and the object behind the exercise the basis of the letter addressed and the anguish expressed by Ari.
__36...
the Deputy Conservator of Forest. The National Highway Authority is also required to act and issue necessary notification in this regard. it is incumbent upon it to take such issue necessary notifications to facilitate protection We do not appreciate the stand takenwbythis does not show any concern for the burning i"ssue'--in'volved" the matter. The statement of objections filed.__by.nnthis":re'spondent"'n contending that the Nationaly.....high'ways l are_ rrleant for uninterrupted traffic movernelnt saniejare the backbone of the country connecting irriportaiit"placesV'.and'lhuge quantity of goods will be on __the-- highway as such banning t--rafiic"lon-.. of' the National highway either partially or lftlllyt ady'c_rsely= affects not only the movement of the __goods, also thepasseiigers and is thus illegal, only shows respondent is not responding to the need of the hour duties cast on each one of the citizen to V in _protect-.the_fwiJd iife particularly the endangered species in the Vdtiger reserve. fiierefore. we have no hesitation in rejecting the objiections taken by this respondent. In so far as the alternate road for N}~§~«67 is concerned, though the distance is more, we find that as the aiternate road W40- unreasonable affecting the fundamental rights of these citizens under Article 19-1(g) of the Constitution.
28. In the case of K.M.CI-IINNAPPA vs. UNION o11'_«*;":t-zn'1_;ai.._l:---V'7atIt« _ 2003 SC 7'24, in paragraph 17 & 29, the .t with Article 48-A has held that Article' 4s{A' 3.11:1 Sui'-atgit obligations on the State and the :c_itizens.o'f=Indiap.to protect and." ~' improve the natural environment 'i'nc_:luding diuresis', lattes, rivers and Wild life and to havecornpassion;for-.]1ving creatures. In paragraph 29, it is stated as u~nder:'V "The tide. *.of'_'. ju_dici3l..' 'con§iid..erati'ons in environmental 1li_tigat1'o_Iis'i..rz1 India symbolizes the anxiety of 'l5CVo.ur:tsp finding out appropriate rerne'dies._ for'.envi1'Qffinei3tal.--~ maladies. At global level, tile' _to'..1iVe now recognised as a funda_rnental. toian. environment adequate for arid wellwbeing of human beings. .......... for us to deal with all the other decislioéns this regard by the learned Counsel for the . _petitioners€__Asuffice to observe that the ban imposed only during that too from 9 pm. to 6 am. is guided by factors required urgent action to protect the wild life and to preserve its peaceful habitat, particularly keeping in mind the nocturnal animals' peaceful habitat and the danger posed to the A/..
~41", rare species. The endeavour of the mankind has to keep pace with the changing circumstances. The sacrifice that w_e_do in small measure today in protecting these species inc1rudj:ng"the tigers which are the threatened species will go the posterity will acclaim the same__W.ith deep"g:¥éi;t:£{:d¢..Va1a;1" V' appreciation although this is no more Tlof the fundamental duties cast on pcitizensxby the'Co'nsrtitutjobn,--it * The hardship faced by the be.' eornpensated by directing the State Goverinrneint ,t§5' appropriate and adequate measuresto i1nproir_e~V.thve condi.tion.s 'of the alternate roads and to to thVeA._areVas*"'where the alternate roads aretnot. in goori"--.c_o11d'itiaon.--. ' '
30. We, therefore. _Ct--eeri.f1 it" necessary to issue a time bound it direction t§Q.:t_l'1'CAStal':é' Government, at the first instance, to start with utmost priority the repair of the road in it is aliegedly in a non--n1otorable condition. l»,.,___Along sidebthe State shail take up comprehensive action to the entire road stretch of the alternate road to NH--212 __ "available for the public to make it more spacious, easy and safe . V "forluse by the people. The respondent«State shall take steps to secure the safety of the commuters and transporters by %_.
"+43% notification dated 03.06.2009. The writ petitions fiiedfsy» the transporters in W.P.N0s.26621--629/2009 are issuing the aforementioned directions. it"Q§§t ~ §.«.2.i;:;"z;z:;._ __.S&ffiW KK