Environment (Protection ) Act - Environmental clearance - Amendment on 10-4-1997 making public hearing mandatory - Application made earlier for clearance rejected - Board carried on correspondence seeking review - Clearance granted on 20-1-1998 without taking note of the amendment - Clearance granted without conducting public hearing - Complaint regarding the studies conducted by the TBGRI appears to be true - Ministry is directed to reconsider the question of the grant of environmental clearance after directing the Board to comply with the requirements of the notification as amended to the extent of compliance with the requirement of public hearing as envisaged by the amended notification, before deciding to grant or refusing to grant environmental clearance sought for by the Board. [Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi vs State of Kerala and ors. OP.Nos. 1774/2001, OP 3581/2001 & 7713/2001. Dated 17th October, 2001 P.K.Balasubramanyan & M.Ramachandran (JJ)]