Environmental Laws in India
Environmental Laws in India
Welcome to www.niryas.in . An important topic in competitive exam preparation is: Environment. Questions in such exams come from various topics related to the environment. In this case, to help competitive students, we introduce the Competitive Environment section. In this section, our main goal is to present to-the-point information from various topics related to the environment. Currently, in the post called Environmental Laws in India, we have presented information on various Laws of India related to the environment. So, without waiting any longer, let’s take a look at the information ….
Environmental Laws in India
➲ Environmental Law: A Statistical Overview : Environmental law is a set of rules and regulations that aim to protect the environment and promote sustainable development. In India, environmental law has evolved significantly over the years, with a growing focus on conservation and sustainability.
➲ Statistical Overview : According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India has enacted 25 environmental laws since 1972, including the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
In terms of enforcement, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reported a significant increase in the number of environmental cases filed and disposed of over the years. According to the CPCB’s annual report for 2020-21, a total of 14,444 environmental cases were filed, out of which 10,444 were disposed of.
➲ Key Environmental Laws and Their Impact : Some of the key environmental laws in India and their impact are as follows:
✧ The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 : This act has led to a significant reduction in water pollution, with the number of polluted rivers decreasing from 302 in 2008 to 275 in 2018.
✧ The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 : This act has led to a reduction in air pollution, with the number of cities with poor air quality decreasing from 102 in 2015 to 94 in 2020.
✧ The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 : This act has led to the establishment of a number of environmental regulatory bodies, including the CPCB and the State Pollution Control Boards.
➲ Challenges and Opportunities : Despite the progress made in environmental law and enforcement, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed. These include:
✧ Lack of effective enforcement : Despite the existence of a number of environmental laws, enforcement remains a major challenge.
✧ Limited public awareness : There is a need to increase public awareness about environmental laws and the importance of environmental protection.
✧ Insufficient funding : Environmental protection requires significant funding, which is often not available.
➲ In conclusion, environmental law has come a long way in India, with a growing focus on conservation and sustainability. While there are still several challenges that need to be addressed, there are also opportunities for growth and development in this area.
Statistics:
✧ 25 environmental laws enacted in India since 1972
✧ 14,444 environmental cases filed in 2020-21
✧ 10,444 environmental cases disposed of in 2020-21
✧ 275 polluted rivers in India in 2018
✧ 94 cities with poor air quality in India in 2020
1. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 :
✧ Implication Date: September 9, 1972
✧ Objective: To protect and conserve wildlife and their habitats.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the hunting, trade, and transportation of wildlife, and provides for the creation of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 7 years and/or fine up to Rs. 25,000.
2. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 :
✧ Implication Date: March 23, 1974
✧ Objective: To prevent, control, and abate water pollution.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the discharge of pollutants into water bodies, and provides for the creation of water pollution control boards.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 3 months and/or fine up to Rs. 10,000.
3. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 :
✧ Implication Date: October 25, 1980
✧ Objective: To conserve forests and promote sustainable forest management.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes, and provides for the creation of forest conservation authorities.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 3 years and/or fine up to Rs. 10,000.
4. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 :
✧ Implication Date: May 29, 1981
✧ Objective: To prevent, control, and abate air pollution.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the emission of pollutants from industrial plants, vehicles, and other sources, and provides for the creation of air pollution control boards.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 3 months and/or fine up to Rs. 10,000.
5. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 :
✧ Implication Date: May 23, 1986
✧ Objective: To protect and improve the quality of the environment.
✧ Provisions: Provides for the protection and improvement of the environment, and regulates the handling of hazardous substances.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
6. The Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989 :
✧ Implication Date: July 28, 1989
✧ Objective: To provide for the management and handling of hazardous waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste.
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 3 years and/or fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Environmental Laws in India
7. The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 :
✧ Implication Date: January 22, 1991
✧ Objective: To provide public liability insurance for the purpose of providing immediate relief to the persons affected by accident.
✧ Provisions: Provides for the establishment of a public liability insurance fund, and requires industries to obtain public liability insurance.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 5 lakh.
8. The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 :
✧ Implication Date: February 14, 2000
✧ Objective: To regulate and control noise pollution.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the noise levels from various sources, including industrial activities, vehicles, and construction activities.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
9. The Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 :
✧ Implication Date: July 19, 2000
✧ Objective: To regulate and control the use of ozone-depleting substances.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the import, export, and use of ozone-depleting substances.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
10. The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 :
✧ Implication Date: September 25, 2000
✧ Objective: To provide for the management and handling of municipal solid waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and disposal of municipal solid waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
11. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 :
✧ Implication Date: February 5, 2003
✧ Objective: To provide for the conservation of biological diversity and for matters connected therewith.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the access to biological resources, and provides for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Environmental Laws in India
✧ Penalties: Imprisonment up to 5 years and/or fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
12. The National Environment Policy, 2006 :
✧ Implication Date: May 18, 2006
✧ Objective: To provide for the protection and improvement of the environment and for matters connected therewith.
✧ Provisions: Provides for the conservation of natural resources, promotion of sustainable development, and protection of the environment.
✧ Penalties: None specified.
13. The Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 :
✧ Implication Date: September 14, 2006
✧ Objective: To provide for the environmental impact assessment of certain projects.
✧ Provisions: Requires environmental impact assessments to be conducted for certain projects, and provides for the public consultation process.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Environmental Laws in India
14. The Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008 :
✧ Implication Date: September 24, 2008
✧ Objective: To provide for the management, handling, and transboundary movement of hazardous waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
15. The Battery (Management and Handling) Rules, 2010 :
✧ Implication Date: May 12, 2010
✧ Objective: To provide for the management and handling of batteries.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and recycling of batteries.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
16. The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011 :
✧ Implication Date: January 6, 2011
✧ Objective: To provide for the regulation of activities in the coastal zone.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the construction of buildings, and the carrying out of other activities in the coastal zone.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
17. The Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 :
✧ Implication Date: February 4, 2011
✧ Objective: To provide for the management and handling of plastic waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the manufacture, sale, and use of plastic products, and provides for the recycling and disposal of plastic waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Environmental Laws in India
18. The E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 :
✧ Implication Date: May 12, 2011
✧ Objective: To provide for the management and handling of electronic waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the manufacture, sale, and use of electronic products, and provides for the recycling and disposal of electronic waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
19. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 :
✧ Implication Date: June 2, 2010
✧ Objective: To provide for the establishment of a National Green Tribunal for the effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection.
✧ Provisions: Provides for the establishment of a National Green Tribunal, and defines its powers and functions.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 25 crore.
20. The Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010 :
✧ Implication Date: December 7, 2010
✧ Objective: To provide for the conservation and management of wetlands.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the use of wetlands, and provides for the conservation and management of wetlands.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Environmental Laws in India
প্রাথমিক টেট প্রস্তুতির জন্য ক্লিক করুনঃ
উচ্চ প্রাথমিক টেট প্রস্তুতির জন্য ক্লিক করুনঃ
21. The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 :
✧ Implication Date: October 1, 2016
✧ Objective: To provide for the management of electronic waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and recycling of electronic waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
22. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 :
✧ Implication Date: March 18, 2016
✧ Objective: To provide for the management of plastic waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the manufacture, sale, and use of plastic products, and provides for the recycling and disposal of plastic waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
23. The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 :
✧ Implication Date: April 8, 2016
✧ Objective: To provide for the management of solid waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and disposal of solid waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
24. The Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016 :
✧ Implication Date: March 29, 2016
✧ Objective: To provide for the management of construction and demolition waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and recycling of construction and demolition waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
25. The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 :
✧ Implication Date: March 28, 2016
✧ Objective: To provide for the management of bio-medical waste.
✧ Provisions: Regulates the collection, storage, transportation, and disposal of bio-medical waste.
✧ Penalties: Fine up to Rs. 1 lakh.
