The field of environmental law has seen an influx of litigation, especially public interest litigation, in cases where the government policy or the institutional machinery of Pollution Control Boards has failed to bring redressal. Dereliction becomes a matter of grave public concern - big enough to allow an individual to seek the Court's directions to avoid any further harm to the environment, and ultimately protect human rights. One such case has been that of MC Mehta v. Union of India,1 that is, the Kanpur TanneriesGanga Pollution case, wherein a citizen in his own capacity looked to prevent tanneries situated in Kanpur from polluting and discharging their trade affluents in Ganga. 2 The matter was raised after steps were not taken by industries and the concerned lawful authorities to control this act of public nuisance