This case is known as the very first case "requiring the Supreme Court to balance environmental and ecological integrity against industrial demands on forest resources."

The facts of the case are simple: quarrying was being carried out in the Mussoorie region of the Himalayas. Many landslides occurred, which devastated the area and killed the locals, due to the practice of blasting the hillside with dynamite. When the mining leases that permitted this came up for renewal, these were denied by the State, which recognised the importance of preserving the environment.

The Supreme Court took up the case, and had to perform a complex analysis of the costs and benefits of permitting mining in the region to continue.

Holding: The Court held in 1988 that all the mines in the area (except for three) ought to remain closed. Mining in the valley was held to have violated the Forest Conservation Act. Economic development could not come at the cost of environmental degradation.

The Constitution of India guarantees the Right to wholesome environment as a fundamental right under Article 21. Development must be sustainable. This was the key takeaway of the case, and a landmark holding in the history of environmental rights in India.

https://lawtimesjournal.in/rural-litigation-and-entitlement-kendra-ors-v-state-of-uttar-pradesh-ors-case-summary/