New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the right to life belongs not only to the present generation but also the future generations when it comes to the exploitation of natural resources.
"It is not just right to life of present generation but also of the future generations," said the apex court green bench of Justice A.K. Patnaik, Justice S.S. Nijjar and Justice F.M.I Kalifulla as it was told of the rampant iron ore mining that had taken place in Goa.
Holding that mining activities should be "legal, in accordance with the rule of law and in conformity with the constitution", the court observed that inter-generational equity has been spoken of many a time by the apex court but its parameters have not been spelt out.
The court's observation came in the course of the hearing of a petition filed by NGO Goa Foundation which has sought that the mining leases should not be renewed in the state till a cumulative environment impact assessment was done by an expert group.
