SUSHILA SAW MILL vs STATE OF ORISSA .

The Supreme Court addressed the validity of Section 4(1) of the Orissa Saw Mills & Saw Pits (Control) Act, 1991, which prohibits the establishment and operation of saw mills within ten kilometers of forest areas. The petitioner argued that this provision violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 301 of the Constitution by imposing arbitrary restrictions and creating discrimination among saw mills in different districts. The Court upheld the Division Bench's decision, affirming that the Act serves a legitimate purpose of forest conservation and does not impose an absolute ban on the saw mill business, thus rejecting the petitioner's claims.