Fwd: Lions of Gir - SC judgement copy

[mac mohan]

Dear Sir/Madam,

I.A. No. 100

In

WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 337 OF 1995

Centre for Environment Law, WWF-I.. Applicants

Versus

Union of India & Others.. Respondents

WITHIA No.3452 in WP(C) No.202 of 1995

J U D G M E N T

K. S. RADHAKRISHNAN, J

We have been called upon to decide the necessity of a second home for Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), an endangered species, for its long term survival and to protect the species from extinction as issue rooted on eco-centrism, which supports the protection of all wildlife forms, not just those which are of instrumental value to humans but those which have intrinsic worth.

I feel the sections 38 and 39 are important and has set precedence for future judgements.

ANTHROPOCENTRIC VS. ECO-CENTRIC

38. We may point out that has been wide ranging discussions and deliberations on the international platforms and conferences for re-building of certain principles laid down in the earlier conventions on the Principles of Sustainable Development. The United Nations Commission on Environment and Development defined the ‘sustainable development’ as follows:

“Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (World Commission on Economic Development [WCED], 1987 :43)

39. Sustainable development, it has been argued by various eminent environmentalists, clearly postulates an anthropocentric bias, least concerned with the rights of other species which live on this earth. Anthropocentrism is always human interest focussed thinking that non-human has only instrumental value to humans, in other words, humans take precedence and human responsibilities to non-human are based benefits to humans. Eco-centrism is nature-centred, where humans are part of nature and non-humans have intrinsic value. In other words, human interest does not take automatic precedence and humans have obligations to non-humans independently of human interest. Eco-centrism is, therefore, life-centred, nature-centred where nature includes both humans and non-humans

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regards

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Mohan Raj K.

+91 9363147760

Tamil Nadu Green Movement

www.tngreenmovement.org