The Environment Protection Act was introduced in 1986 after the Bhopal gas tragedy. It aims to provide effective protection and improvement of the environment. Some key objectives include preventing environmental pollution in all forms, coordinating regulatory agencies, setting emission standards, and taking measures to protect and improve environmental quality. The Act gives wide powers to the central government to issue directions and take necessary measures for pollution prevention, control, and abatement.

1. Environment
Protection Act, 1986

2. Introduction
 India has worlds largest democracy with population of 1.1 billion.
It is diverse country with number of languages, religions, cultures
etc.
 During the past decades the economic and industrial growth of
the country has been extremely fast.
 Increasingly serious environmental degradation events during the
last century have given a strong impetus to the need for taking
effective steps of environmental protection

3. Introduction
 An Act to provide for the protection and improvement of
environment was needed.
 Whereas the decisions were taken at the United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment held at Stockholm
(Sweden) in June, 1972, (in which India participated) to take
appropriate steps for the protection and improvement of human
environment.
 The Environment (Protection) Act was introduced after the
Bhopal gas tragedy 1986

4. Introduction
Constitution of India has a number of provisions demarcating
the responsibility of the central and state/governments
towards ‘environmental protection’. The constitution of india
makes provision for environmental protection in the chapters
on:
 Fundamental Rights
 Directive Principles of State Policy
 Fundamental Duties

5. Various Acts
 The parliament of India has passed several acts
ands laws in order to protect the environment, like…
 The Factories Act, 1948
 The Insecticide Act, 1968
 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
 The Wild life (protection) Act, 1972

6. What do you mean by Environment ?
 Sec. 2 ( a ) of the Act defines the
term Environment. “Environment
includes water, air and land and
the inter- relationship which exists
among various components like
water, air, land, plants, other living
creatures and human beings

7. What do you mean by
Environmental Pollution ?
 Sec. 2 (c) defines
environmental pollution:
"environmental pollution"
means the presence (in the
environment of any) of
environmental pollutant

8. What do you mean by
Environment Pollutant ?
 Sec. 2 (b) defines
Environmental Pollutant:
“environmental pollutant"
means any solid, liquid or
gaseous substance’s presence
in such concentration as may
be, or tend to be, injurious to
environment.

9. Hazardous substance
 Any substance or preperation
by its physico chemical property
or handling (manufacturing,
storage ,transport etc.) liable to
cause harm to Human or
environment.
 Radioactive
 Toxic
 Corrosive

10. Features and objectives of the EP Act
 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (passed in March 1986
and came into force on 19 Nov. 1986).
 The E.P. Act was enacted under Art.253 of the Constitution of
India.
 The Act seeks to supplement the existing laws on control of
Pollution by enacting a general legislation for environmental
protection

11. Features and objectives of the EP Act
 The Act makes the central government, the repository of
wide powers. (whereas the Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control) Act, 1981
entrust the task of control of pollution on agencies created by the
statute namely state and central pollution control boards.)
 Rule making power of the Central Govt. is the main
feature of this Act.
 Implement decision taken by UN
 Besides prevention and control, the Act aims at
protection and improvement of the Environment.

12. Objectives of EP Act
 Providing for the protection
and improvement of the
environment
 Preventing environmental
pollution in all its forms
 To tackle specific
environmental problems that
are peculiar to different parts
of the country.

13. Objectives of EP Act
 To co-ordinate the activities of the
various regulatory agencies already in
existence.
 To appoint environment officers to
check environmental pollution.
 To improve the quality of life by
protection of environment.
 Establishing environmental laboratories.
 To protect the forests and wildlife in the
country

14. Objectives of EP Act
 Conserve our rapidly
diminishing fossil fuel
reserves by using
Alternative energy sources

15. Objectives of EP Act
Biological control of pests
 Using natural predators
to eat pests instead of
pesticides

16. Objectives of EP Act
 Prevent Environment
 Set aside lands for
animals to prevent over
grazing and destruction.

17. Objectives of EP Act
 Pollution control
 Laying down standards for
emission or discharge of
environmental pollutants from
various sources whatsoever.

18. Scheme of the EP Act, 1986
 The Act consists of –
 26 Sections divided into four chapters.
 Chapter I – Secs. 1 and 2 (PRELIMINARY)
 Chapter II – Secs. 3 to 6 (GENERAL POWERS OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT)
 Chapter III – Secs. 7 to 17 (PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND ABATEMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION)
 Chapter IV – Secs. 18 to 26 (MISCELLANEOUS)
 Seven Schedules dealing with emission standards of air, noise,
effluents etc. have been appended to the Act.
 Various Rules Including Environment (Protection) Rules have been
framed under the Act

19. General Powers assigned to
Central Government
 To take all necessary measures for prevention, control
and abatement of environmental pollution. Sec. 3(1)
such measures are enlisted in sec. 3(2)
 Authorities can be constituted . Sec. 3(3)
 Appointment of Officers. Sec. 4
 To issue Directions and orders. Sec. 5

20. Section 3 - POWER OF CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT TO TAKE MEASURES TO
PROTECT AND IMPROVE ENVIRONMENT
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central
Government, shall have the power to take all such
measures as it deems necessary or expedient for the
purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the
environment and preventing, controlling and abating
environmental pollution.

21. Contd…
(2) In particular, such measures may include measures with
respect to all or any of the following matters, namely:--
 (i) co-ordination of actions by the State Governments, officers
and other authorities-
 (a) under this Act, or the rules made thereunder, or
 (b) under any other law for the time being in force which is relatable to
the objects of this Act;
 (ii) planning and execution of a nation-wide programme for
the prevention, control and abatement of environmental
pollution;

22. Contd…
 (iii) laying down standards for the quality of environment
in its various aspects;
 (iv) laying down standards for emission or discharge of
environmental pollutants from various sources
whatsoever;
 (v) restriction of areas in wchich any industries
,operations or processesor class of industries ,opertaions
or processes shall not be carried out or shall be carried
out subject to certain safeguard;

23. Contd …
 (vi) laying down procedures and safeguards for the prevention
of accidents which may cause environmental pollution and
remedial measures for such accidents;
 (vii) laying down procedures and safeguards for the handling of
hazardous substances;
 (viii) examination of such manufacturing processes, materials
and substances as are likely to cause environmental pollution;
 (ix) carrying out and sponsoring investigations and research
relating to problems of environmental pollution;

24. Thank you