The Indian Supreme Court's August 1988 decision against limestone quarrying in Doon Valley was vindication of grassroots activism. By their awareness and action, the Valley's people have helped the cause of ecologically sustainable and socially equitable utilisation of nature's resources. This was, after all, the first major environmental public interest litigation of its kind in the Court. Perhaps it is time to draw lessons from the Doon's experience, to reflect on the past and to look at the challenges that lie ahead.
Today, there are more and more public interest environmental cases being filed in the courts of India. What was the uniqueness of Doon Valley and its people that the litigation went in their favour? There was a time when environmental researchers doing village surveys had to be fearful of the limestone mafia in the Valley. Today, it is common to take the side of the environment and against limestone quarries -in fact it is risky not to do so!
The Doon Valley is a picturesque but ecologically fragile area bounded by the Himalaya to the North, the Shivalik to the South, and the life-giving Ganga and Yamuna to the East and West. Abundant water and a fine climate have provided the base for high value crops like the fragrant basmati rice and the famous green tea of Dehra Dun. So perfect was its scenic and climatic situation that in 1853 Doon was even selected as the most fitting area for the future capital of India.
While the political capital was set up elsewhere, Debra Dun did become the "environmental capital" of India; headquarters of the Survey of India and the Imperial Forest School were set up here. Since 1947, too, it has become host to a large number of institutions engaged in natural resources research, monitoring and training.