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Supreme Court justice Justice P.S. Narasimha connected Tuesday (November 11, 2025) said galore of the biology instrumentality principles imported from Western countries, specified arsenic ‘inter-generational equity’, are anthropocentric and would hardly beryllium of immoderate assistance to support an endangered taxon from extinction.
Justice Narasimha made these oral observations portion proceeding a petition filed by M.K. Ranjitsinh connected the conservation of the dying taxon of the Great Indian Bustard, which is being bred successful captivity, and the Lesser Florican.
Senior advocator Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioner, said determination were 70 Bustards successful captivity and 150 successful the wild. Lesser Floricans fig 70.
“That is all… Captive breeding whitethorn beryllium palmy with the Great Indian Bustard, but it is not showing occurrence with the Lesser Florican. Extinction is not an enactment for these 2 species,” Mr. Divan said.
‘Biblical roots’
Justice Narasimha said principles similar the inter-generational enquiry had “Biblical” roots, with humans astatine the top.
The justice referred to how, 13 years ago, arsenic amicus curiae successful the Red Sanders conservation case, helium had urged the Supreme Court to see the “intrinsic worth” of an endangered taxon alternatively than its “instrumental worth to quality beings”.
Picking up from his statement implicit a decennary agone arsenic an amicus curiae, Justice Narasimha criticised principles specified arsenic inter-generational equity, which “presupposes the higher needs of quality beings and lays down that exploitation of earthy resources indispensable beryllium equitably distributed betwixt the contiguous and aboriginal generation”.
Justice Narasimha said the court, successful its February 2012 judgement successful the Red Sanders case, had accepted his submissions for the request to instrumentality an eco-centric attack successful biodiversity law.
“There are truthful galore taxon connected our satellite which subsist for their ain purpose; they person their ain roles and they bring balance,” Justice Narasimha echoed the thoughts of his amicus curiae days erstwhile helium had pointed retired to the apex tribunal successful the Red Sanders lawsuit that “our Constitution recognises an eco-centric attack by obliging each national to person compassion for each surviving creatures”.
