I hope you are all doing great Eco Warriors and spreading awareness,
today’s topic is really interesting to talk about specifically due to the fact
that I got to learn a lot about specific regulations that exist in my country.
Now I will put it up here so that you all can learn too.
India has been a country known for its activism towards environmental
protection. From green revolution to women even putting their lives at
stake for protecting the environment in Chipko Movement. Here are
some regulations and laws that have been put to action to protect and
safeguard the environment and habitat.
To promote individuals to take environment seriously the Constitution
under Part IVA (Art 51A-Fundamental Duties) casts a duty on every
citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including
forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living
creatures. Further, the Constitution of India under Part IV (Art 48ADirective
Principles of State Policies) stipulates that the State shall
endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the
forests and wildlife of the country.
The reforms strengthened after a major conference UN Conference on
the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). After the Stockholm
Conference, the National Council for Environmental Policy and Planning
was set up in 1972 within the Department of Science and Technology to
establish a regulatory body to look after the environment-related issues.
This Council later evolved into a full-fledged Ministry of Environment and
Forests (MoEF).
MoEF was established in 1985, which today is the apex administrative
body in the country for regulating and ensuring environmental protection
and lays down the legal and regulatory framework for the same. Since
the 1970s, a number of environment legislations have been put in place.
The MoEF and the pollution control boards ("CPCB", ie, Central
Pollution Control Board and "SPCBs", ie, State Pollution Control Boards)
together form the regulatory and administrative core of the sector.
Here are some important laws framed by them
The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 (No. 19 of 2010) (NGT Act) has
been enacted with the objectives to provide for establishment of a
National Green Tribunal (NGT) for the effective and expeditious disposal
of cases relating to environment protection and conservation of forests
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (the "Air Act") is
an act to provide for the prevention, control and abatement of air
pollution
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974 (the "Water
Act") has been enacted to provide for the prevention and control of
water pollution and to maintain or restore wholesomenes of water
The Environment Protection Act, 1986
The Environment Protection Act, 1986 (the "Environment Act") provides
for the protection and improvement of environment. The Environment
Protection Act establishes the framework for studying, planning and
implementing long-term requirements of environmental safety and laying
down a system of speedy and adequate response to situations harmful
for it
The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was enacted with the objective of
effectively protecting the wild life of this country and to control poaching,
smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives
The Forest Conservation Act, 1980
The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was enacted to help conserve the
country's forests. It strictly restricts and regulates the de-reservation of
forests or use of forest land for non-forest purposes without the prior
approval of Central Government
These are the certain measures taken by the government and there are
amendments and changes made to these each year to suit the rapid
and changing needs for protection of environment
Green Cheers
Anoushka Sinha
India