Bhubaneswar, Jan. 2: Former Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat today passed the onus onto mankind for protection of the environment.

Speaking on Environment and Progress: Issues and Challenges as part of the 16th edition of Nalco's foundation day lecture series at Nalco Bhavan here, he said: "Man can change a desert into an oasis. At the same time, he can change an oasis into a desert. If we can minimise our greed, we can protect the environment to a great extent."

Pasayat cited the Supreme Court's judgment on mining operations of Kudermukh Iron Ore Mining Company Limited, one of the "mini ratna PSUs", which had stopped the company's mining operations for causing disaster in the Western Ghats of Karnataka.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by the then Chief Justice, had delivered the judgment in October 2002. It asked for the closure of all mining operations in Kudremukh by December 2005. Pasayat was part of the bench, which had delivered the landmark judgement. Pasayat, who is also vice-chairman of the special investigation team on black money, also gave his verdict on the Centre's move to curb high value notes.

"Demonetisation is not the only answer to curbing black money," he said, adding that public interest litigations were being misused by people.

"From my own observations, I have found that PIL has become Public Interest Litigation, Political Interests Litigation, Personal Interests Litigation and Paisa Interest Litigation," he said.

Nalco chairman-cum-managing director T. K. Chand said: "The company emphasises on sustainable development and is keen on saving the environment. We create greenery in used mines and hand them over to the state."