Forest - Saw Mills - Imposing total ban on saw mills business or saving operations

Stopping operations within the prohibited area of reserved forest and protected forests. Not violative of Arts.19 (1)(g). It is legislation in public interest intended to preserve forest wealth and environment and to stop illicit felling of forest growth. Right to carry on trade and business under Art.19 (1)(g) and 301. It is a legislation to public interest restriction imposed for statute, which includes such total prohibition in rare cases. It is also not violative of Art.14 being neither arbitrary nor unreasonable nor discriminatory. It is a class legislation as entire within the prohibited zone treated as class against other cases. Therefore operation of the ban on mill situated in a district which falls within the prohibited area cannot be said to be discriminatory on ground of geographical contiguity of the district. [Sushila Saw Mills vs. State of Orissa. (1995) SCC 615. AIR 1995 SC 2484 = 1995(4) SCALE 776. K.Ramaswamy & K.S.Paripoornan {JJ}]