In SAMATHA v. STATE OF A.P., AIR 1997 SC 3297, the Supreme Court protected:

1. In Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh (1997), the Supreme Court (per K. Ramaswamy J.) held that: 2. The transfer of lands in SCHEDULED AREAS (under the FIFTH SCHEDULE of the Constitution) to non-tribals or to private companies for mining is UNCONSTITUTIONAL — even by the State Government. 3. The Court read the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation, 1959 to PROHIBIT such transfer. 4. The judgment was a landmark for tribal rights and environmental governance — though Parliament responded with the Forest Rights Act 2006. 5. Hence option B is correct. _Source: EPA 1986 / Constitution of India / Stockholm/Rio/Paris / Indian SC environmental jurisprudence — Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh, AIR 1997 SC 3297_