Environment Law

Introduction

By: Jiya Matharani

Environment Environment law describes a
network of regulation and
French Word : customary laws that address

Environner :’to
the effects of human activity
on the natural environment.
encircle’ or ‘to This law works to manage
surround. specific natural resources and
environment impact
assessment.
Different Definitions of environment
Section 2 (a) of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986
defines:

Environment: “Environment includes water, air and

land and the inter-relationship which exists among
and between water, air and land and human beings,
other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and
property”.

The Honourable Supreme Court has the following

definition of ‘environment’:

“Environment” is a difficult word to define. Its

normal meaning relates to the surroundings, but
obviously, that is a concept which is relatable to
whatever object it is, which is surrounded.
Environment is a polycentric and multifaceted
problem affecting the human existence.
Ecology

The term ‘ecology’ is a Greek word, connected to the environment. It is a branch of

biology dealing with relations of living organisms to their surroundings, their habits,
modes of life etc.

R.M. Dasmann defined ‘ecology’ as “the study of ecosystems to determine how they
are organised, how the creatures within them interact and how total systems
function”. According to the United States Council on the Environment Quality,
“Ecology is the science of the intricate web of relationships between living organisms
and their living and non-living surroundings”. Thus, it (ecology) may be described as
“the science involved in the study of organisms in relation to their environment”.
Ecosystem

Man cannot escape from his physical environment, which includes plants and animals. An
assemblage of species of plants and animals inhabiting a common area and having effects on one
another is known as ‘biotic community’. A combination of such biotic community with the physical
environment is called ‘ecosystem’. The United States Council on the Environment Quality observed
that “the interdependence of living and non-living parts i.e. man, animals, plants, forests, lakes,
etc. make eco-system”.

The ecosystem doesn’t remain constant, as changes take place in it continuously in one form or the
other. A small change even in one part of the ecosystem will have an impact on the entire system.
Environment Law
‘Environmental Law’ is an instrument to protect
and improve the environment and to control or
prevent any act or omission polluting or likely to
pollute the environment.

The Honourable Supreme Court in K. M.

Chinnappa v. Union of India defined
“Environmental Law” as an instrument to protect
and improve the environment and control or
prevent any act or omission polluting or likely to
pollute the environment.
Regulatory authorities

The key regulatory authorities are the:

● Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
(MoEFCC).
● CPCB.
● SPCBs.
● District Level Authorities (that is, municipal corporations).
Components of Environment Law
❖ Pollution Control and Redemption
❖ Water Reserves
❖ Waste Management
❖ Sustainability
❖ Biodiversity
❖ Wildlife conservation
❖ Emission
❖ Construction
Need of Environment Legislation

It was the Bhopal Gas Tragedy which necessitated the Government of India to
enact a comprehensive environmental legislation, including rules relating to
storing, handling and use of hazardous waste. On the basis of these rules, the
Indian Parliament enacted the Environment Protection Act, 1986. This is an
umbrella legislation that consolidated the provisions of the Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act of 1981. Within this framework of the legislations, the government
established Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) in order to prevent, control, and
abate environmental pollution.