Status of administrative control on environment in india
1. In India parliament has enacted various laws
and acts to protect our environment. Now we
can discuss about various acts.
2. 1.The wildlife protection Act, 1972
2.Water[prevention and control of pollution]
Act,1974.
3.Water [prevention and control of
prevention] cess Act, 1977.
4.The forest conservation Act, 1980.
5.Air [prevention and control of pollution]
Act,1981.
6.The Environment [protection] Act, 1986.
3. In our country no attention was paid for
controlling the environmental effects of
developmental projects , almost till the year
1968 or so.
It was in the 4th five year plan period
[1968-1973], the first time ,the
environmental aspects were introduced for
developmental planning process.
4. In the year 1970, Govt: of India appointed a
committee under the chairmanship of Pandit
Pitamber Pant [a member of planning
commission], which prepared a country report
for presenting in the U N Conference on Human
Environment , in 1972.
Soon thereafter , a national committee on
Environmental Protection and Co- ordination
was set up in the dept: of science and
technology, for advising the Govt: of India on
environmental matters.
Based on this the first central law was enacted
under the name of water[prevention and
control of pollution]Act, 1974.
5. This act was to provide protection to wild
animals and birds.
This act also provides for constitution of a
wildlife advisory board.
Regulation of hunting of wild animals and birds
are also provided by this act. a record of wild
animals hunted has to be maintained.
A special permit may be granted to hunt a wild
animal for education, scientific research and
collection of specimen for zoological
gardens, museums etc:
This act provides for the establishment of
national parks, sanctuaries, and closed areas.
6. This act provides for the prevention and control of water
pollution and for maintaining the wholesome of water
resources in the country.
This act defines terms like
pollution, sewage, effluent, stream etc;
As a result ,a central board called central board for the
prevention and control of water pollution was constituted
for monitoring and detecting pollutions of water
bodies, and initiating remedial measures, including
prosecutions in courts.
A person in the board has the right to enter and inspect
any place and examine any plant
,record, register, document, or any other
material, object or for conducting a search for any place
where he has reason to believe that no offence of water
pollution is committed.
7. This law has proved quite effective in
reducing the quantities of industrial
wastes, as the act promotes recycling and
reuse of the waste waters.
This act was made applicable to all the
states of the country unlike the water
[prevention and control of pollution]act
1974 which was followed by 12 states
only, since water was a state subject under
the Indian constitution.
8. As per this act no forest land of any portion
may be used for any non-forest purposes
without the prior permission from central
government.
The scope of the definition of non-forest
purposes was extended to include cultivation of
tea, coffee, rubber, palms, oil bearing
plants, horticultural crops, and medicinal
plants.
No state government may issue order directing
that any forest land may be assigned by way of
lease to organisation etc:.
9. The objective of this act is to provide for prevention
and control of air pollution in order to preserve the
quality of air.
The water pollution control boards were given the
additional charge of looking after air pollution
control also.
The state govt: in consultation with control board
may give instruction to the concerned authority
under the motor vehicle act 1939 to ensure
emission standards from automobiles.
This act provides the declaration of heavily polluted
area as Air pollution control area and no industrial
plant shall be operated in these areas without prior
permission from the state pollution control board.
10. This act was promulgated by the parliament
after the occurrence of Bhopal gas tragedy.
This act extends to whole of India and the
central govt: has been empowered for
taking any measures which in its opinion
are necessary for improving and protecting
the environment.
This act ensures enforcement of several
acts or regulations concerning pollution
control and environmental protection.
11. 1.standard quality of air ,water, and soil for various
areas and for various purposes.
2.maximum permissible limits for conservation for
various environmental pollutants for different areas.
3.procedures and safeguards for handling of hazardous
substances.
4. procedures and safeguards for prevention of
accidents which may cause environmental pollution.
5. providing for remedial measures in case of accidents.
6.severe fines and penalties including imprisonments up
to 5 years have been prescribed for failures and
continued failures on the part of industries failing to
comply with the act , under section 5 of the act.
12. In order to prevent loopholes in the
effective implementation of these
environmental laws the govt: is now
thinking to constitute special environmental
courts for speedy trials of the offenders of
anti pollution laws and also to carry out
annual environmental audits , to easily
detect disobedience of such laws by
individual industries.