Dr. K.C. Malhotra v. State of Madhya Pradesh and Ors
Country: IndiaYear: 1993
Court: High Court - Madhya Pradesh
Citation: AIR 1994 MP 48
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Environmental health, Infectious diseases, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to health, Right to life, Right to water and sanitation
Petitioner, a medical practitioner, filed a petition requesting that the court direct the State of Madhya Pradesh and the Municipal Corporation, Gwalior to clean up the open drains, dirt, and contaminated water and rubbish which the petitioner claimed resulted in the spread of a cholera epidemic. The Municipal Corporation claimed that it performed it obligatory …Read more
Case 152
Country: NicaraguaYear: 1992
Court: Supreme Court of Justice
Citation: Corte Supreme de Justicia, ELECTROQUIMICA PESADA S.A. c. Ministro de Economía y Desarrollo, y otros,
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Environmental health, Occupational health, Public safety
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to favorable working conditions, Right to work
Electroquimica Pesada S.A. (the “Company”), was operating with outdated equipment and was releasing emissions of chlorine and other noxious gases into the environment that posed harm to both its employees as well as the residents of Nicaragua. The Company was required to shut down its operations by a series of orders issued by the Minister …Read more
Technology Developers v. Court of Appeals, et al.
Country: PhilippinesYear: 1991
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: G.R. No. 94759
Health Topics: Environmental health, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment
Technology Developers, the Petitioner, was a private corporation engaged in the manufacture and export of charcoal briquettes. The mayor of Bulacan, a nearby town, sent a letter to Technology Developers, expressing concern over the pollution emitted by the Petitioner in the form of fumes that “not only pollute the air in the locality but also …Read more
M.C. Mehta v. Union of India (Kanpur Tanneries)
Country: IndiaYear: 1988
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 1988 AIR 1115; 1988 SCR (2) 530; 1988 SCC (1) 471; JT 1988 (1) 69
Health Topics: Environmental health, Infectious diseases, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to health, Right to life, Right to water and sanitation
Due to discharge of untreated effluents in the Ganga river, the water of the river was rendered unsafe for drinking, fishing and bathing purposes, essentially creating a public nuisance. In M.C. Mehta v. Union of India & ors., ((1987) 4 S.C.C. 463), the Court had held the city municipality, Kanpur Nagar Mahapalika (Mahapalika), responsible for …Read more
L.K. Koolwal v. State of Rajasthan and Ors
Country: IndiaYear: 1986
Court: High Court - Rajasthan
Citation: AIR 1988 Raj 2; 1987 (1) WLN 134
Health Topics: Environmental health, Health information, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Freedom of expression, Right of access to information, Right to a clean environment, Right to life
LK Koolwal, the Petitioner, sought to enforce the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 1959 (the Act) in the city of Jaipur. Under the Act, the Municipality has a duty to clean public places of all filth. The Petitioner contended that several areas in Jaipur were frought with sanitation problems and the Municipality was not performing its duties …Read more
M.C. Mehta v. Union of India and Ors (Oleum Gas Case 3)
Country: IndiaYear: 1986
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 1987 AIR 1086; 1987 SCR (1) 819; 1987 SCC (1) 395; JT 1987 (1) 1; 1986 SCALE (2) 1188
Health Topics: Environmental health, Poverty
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to health, Right to life
Shriram Foods and Fertiliser Plant, Delhi (Shriram) was situated amidst a population of 200,000 people. It manufactured items such as glycerin soap, and technical hard oil. The petitioner, M.C. Mehta, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to obtain an order for closure of the plant and its relocation to an area where it …Read more
E.H.P. v. Canada
Country: CanadaYear: 1982
Court: United Nations Human Rights Committee
Citation: Communication No. 67/1980, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/OP/1 at 20
Health Topics: Chronic and noncommunicable diseases, Environmental health
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to life, Right to water and sanitation
This communication was filed by the chairperson of the Port Hope Environmental Group on behalf of the residents of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. From 1945 to 1952, Eldorado Nuclear Ltd., a federal Crown Corporation, disposed of nuclear waste in dumpsites within Port Hope, a town of 10,000 people. In 1975, large-scale pollution of residences and …Read more
Municipal Council, Ratlam v. Vardichan and Ors
Country: IndiaYear: 1980
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 1980 AIR 1622; 1981 SCR (1) 97; 1980 SCC (4) 162
Health Topics: Environmental health, Infectious diseases, Poverty, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to a clean environment, Right to health, Right to life
Both the prosperous and poor people of New Road, Ratlam were victims of extremely inadequate basic public sanitation facilities, fluid discharge of a local alcohol plant and overflow of storm water to the street. This resulted in various types of septic fluids flowing openly and constantly in the street, and consequently the street’s sanitation was …Read more
People of the Philippines v. Juanito Solon
Country: PhilippinesYear: 1960
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: G.R. No. L-14864
Health Topics: Environmental health, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
Juanito Solon was convicted and fined (with subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency) for having violated Cebu City Ordinance No. 241 (the Ordinance). The Ordinance required drivers of vehicle-drawing animals to properly dispose of the waste discharged by their vehicle-drawing animals while traveling City roads. Solon challenged his conviction on the grounds that the Ordinance …Read more
Seng Kee & Co. v. Earnshaw, et al.
Country: PhilippinesYear: 1931
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: G.R. No. L-34976
Health Topics: Environmental health, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to property
Petitioner Seng Kee & Co. owned a toyo factory in Manila. The manufacture of toyo involved fermenting beans, adding brown sugar, and then cooking the mixture over a slow fire for several hours. During fermentation, the beans were laid out for several days and the fermented beans and the presence of vast quantities of coarse …Read more