LANDMARK CASE

M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Taj Trapezium)

(1997) 2 SCC 353 · Supreme Court of India · Environmental law

At a glance

Citation: (1997) 2 SCC 353
Court: Supreme Court of India
Area of law: Environmental law
In one line: Industries were directed to switch to natural gas or relocate, applying the precautionary and polluter pays principles.

1 Facts

Emissions from industries near Agra were damaging the Taj Mahal.

2 Issue

What should be done about industries in the Taj Trapezium Zone?

3 What the court decided

Industries were directed to switch to natural gas or relocate, applying the precautionary and polluter pays principles.

4 Why it matters

It protected a world heritage monument.

5 Think about it

Who should bear relocation costs?

6 Analyse it yourself

Read the full judgment from an official source or a law database, then brief it in seven steps: facts, issues, arguments, decision, ratio, obiter and significance. Always check the citation before you rely on it.

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Centre for Environmental Law, WWF India v. Union of India (Asiatic Lion) (2013) 8 SCC 234
Hinch Lal Tiwari v. Kamala Devi (2001) 6 SCC 496
Indian Council for Enviro Legal Action v. Union of India (1996) 3 SCC 212
Lafarge Umiam Mining v. Union of India (2011) 7 SCC 338

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