Overview
- Speaking at a Supreme Court Bar Association event on Oct. 29, Abhay S. Oka said judges who issue strong environmental rulings are being targeted.
- He criticized Sanjeev Sanyal’s assertion that courts hinder “Viksit Bharat,” saying such a claim needs examples of particular orders to qualify as constructive critique.
- Oka said citizens who bring environmental cases face ridicule and are branded anti‑development, discouraging public interest litigation.
- He argued courts must not be swayed by popular or religious sentiment, adding that firecrackers, idol immersions and loudspeakers are not essential religious practices and that no faith permits pollution.
- Oka urged strict enforcement of environmental laws with public participation and political support, noting a visible pollution layer over Delhi and warning other cities, including Mumbai, face comparable risks.