ISSUE:
Whether the State has a constitutional obligation to actively promote environmental awareness among citizens?
Whether mandating cinema halls and public broadcasters to disseminate environmental messages is a justified exercise of regulatory power?
Whether environmental education should be made a compulsory subject at all levels of education to ensure compliance with environmental laws?
RULE:
Law alone cannot effectively work unless there is an element of acceptance by the people. No law operates smoothly unless its purpose is understood and voluntarily followed. For environmental laws to be effective, citizens must be made aware of their duty to protect the environment.
2
Regulation in public interest is a valid exercise of State authority. Businesses, including cinema halls and broadcasters, function under State regulation and can be required to promote social welfare. Spreading environmental awareness through such mediums is necessary to educate the public and instill responsibility.
Education is the most effective means of securing compliance with environmental laws. Human conduct aligns with legal requirements when people understand their necessity. Teaching environmental awareness at all levels ensures that individuals internalize these principles, making legal enforcement more effective and sustainable.