“The most significant achievement of modern law in India is the constitutionalization of environmental problems by the Supreme Court.” Discuss this statement with the help of relevant case laws. (UPSC 2022)

The Supreme Court has transformed environmental protection into a constitutional concern by reading ecology into fundamental rights and State duties.

• Article 21: In Subhash Kumar, the Court held that the right to life includes clean air and water.
• Ecological balance: Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra stopped indiscriminate quarrying in Dehradun, affirming that development cannot override ecology.
• Environmental principles: Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum constitutionalised sustainable development, the precautionary principle and polluter pays.
• Public trust: M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath held natural resources are held by the State in trust for the public.

Thus, the Court’s most significant achievement is making environmental harm justiciable under the Constitution, though durable protection still needs effective legislation and enforcement.