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Environmental Policy in India: Unit 2
Environmental Policy in India: Unit 2
Environmental Policy in India: Unit 2
IN INDIA
UNIT 2
MEDIEVAL ERA
• To Mughal rulers were great lovers of nature. In the medieval period, though there have been
instances of the establishment of nature parks, gardens like gulistan, bostan and fruit orchards by
the Mughal rulers around their palaces and along banks of rivers, they did not have any definite
policy to protect the forests or wildlife their palaces and along banks of rivers, they did not have
any definite policy to protect the forests or wildlife.
• The account of Babar (Baburnama) gives a detailed description of the fauna of India in a very
systematic manner. After giving the features of India's physical geography, he proceeds to describe
first the mammals, then birds, flowers and finally, aquatic animals.
• Jahangir‟s Tuzuk-iJahangiri investigations in Natural History shows his interest in animals, birds
and fauna. Jahangir patronized a large number of artists to whom he ordered to portray the animals
and birds. He also commissioned for accurate paintings of flowers.
https://www.wikiart.org/en/ustad-mansur
CONTN…
• Salim Ali, the ornithologist had acknowledged Both Babar‟s account of Indian flora and fauna and
Jahangir‟s investigations in natural history as naturalists.
• Jahangir qualifies as a keen researcher and fine observer of the flowers of Kashmir. He also cataloged,
observed and investigated the fruit trees of Kashmir in a scientific manner.
• The text on ethics written by Adbul Qadir Badauni begins by a quote attributed to Prophet Muhammad
that says, “God condemns him who kills a cow, cuts down a tree or sells away a human being”.
• The text on ethics written by Adbul Qadir Badauni begins by a quote attributed to Prophet Muhammad
that says, “God condemns him who kills a cow, cuts down a tree or sells away a human being”.
COTN…
• Badauni lists sins and offenses; according to him, the three sins that are most heinous are
cutting down a shady tree, making a profession of killing animals and selling away
human beings.
• Akbar‟s efforts in promoting afforestation in common property resources, management
of water bodies, and his disapproval of killing animals are legendary.
• The hunting of Akbar and Jahangir were well known. In Mughal period, the horse section
was developed. Hunting was a great hobby and useful for aiming in war field.
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9612/akbar-hunting-at-palam-near-painting-mukund/
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN BRITISH ERA
• Section 278
Making atmosphere noxious to health.—Whoever voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place
so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the
neighborhood or passing along a public way, shall be punished with fine which may extend to five
hundred rupees.
• Section 288.
Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings.—Whoever, in pulling down
or repairing any building, knowingly or negligently omits to take such order with that building as is
sufficient to guard against any probable danger to human life from the fall of that building, or of
any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may
extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
CONTN…
• Section 289.
Negligent conduct with respect to animal.—Whoever knowingly or negligently omits to take such
order with any animal in his possession as is sufficient to guard against any probable danger
to human life, or any probable danger of grievous hurt from such animal, shall be punished
with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine
which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
• Section 290.
Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for.—Whoever commits a public
nuisance in any case not otherwise punishable by this Code, shall be punished with fine which may
extend to two hundred rupees.
CONTN…
(b) that the conduct of any trade or occupation or the keeping of any goods or merchandise;
is injurious to the health or physical comfort of the community, and that in consequence
such trade or occupation should be prohibited or regulated or such goods or merchandise
should be removed or the keeping thereof regulated; or
(c) that the construction of any building, or the disposal of any substance, as is likely to
occasion conflagration or explosion, should be prevented or stopped; or
(f) that any dangerous animal should be destroyed, confined or otherwise disposed of,
CONTN…
• Such Magistrate may make a conditional order requiring the person causing such obstruction or
nuisance, or carrying on such trade or occupation, or keeping any such goods or merchandise, or
owning, possessing or controlling such building, tent, structure, substance, lank, well or excavation,
or owning or possessing such animal or tree, within a time to be fixed in the order such nuisance.
• if he objects so to do, to appear before himself or some other Executive Magistrate subordinate to
him at a time and place to be fixed by the order, and show cause, in the manner hereinafter
provided, why the order should not be made absolute.
• No order duly made by a Magistrate under this section shall be called in question in any civil Court.
Section 144
• It empowers an executive magistrate to issue orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended
danger.
CASE LAW
Constitution of India
Fundamental Rights: Article 19 (1) (g), 21
Right to Constitutional Remedies: Article 32, Article 226
Directive Principles of State Policy: Article 37, 39 (B), 42, 47, 48, 48A, 49, 51
Fundamental Duties: Article 51 A (g), 51 A (J)
International Agreements: Article 253
42nd Amendment Act, 1976: Article 48 A, 51 A, Seventh Schedule List III- Entries17 A Forests, 17 B
Protection of wild animals and birds.
PRESENT SCENARIO
• Section 13 (3) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Destruction of suffering animals.
Any police officer above the rank of a constable or any person authorised by the State Government in this
behalf who finds any animal so diseased or so severely injured or in such a physical condition that in his
opinion it cannot be removed without cruelty, may, if the owner is absent or refuses his consent to the
destruction of the animal, forthwith summon the veterinary officer in charge of that area in which the
animal is found, and if the veterinary officer certifies that the animal is mortally injured or so severely
injured or in such a physical condition that it would be cruel to keep it alive, the police officer or the
person authorised, as the case may be, may, after obtaining orders from a Magistrate, destroy the animal
injured or cause it to be destroyed in such manner as may be prescribed. An order of the Magistrate to
destroy an animal is not appealable.
Sub-section (4) of Section 13 provides no appeal shall lie from any order of a Magistrate for destruction of
an animal.
CONTN….
• N.R. Nair and others v/s Union of India and others 2001
• Narayan Dutt Bhatt v. Union of India and others. Writ petition (PIL) no. 43 of 2014-
Uttarakhand High Court’s decision: “entire animal kingdom as legal entity, with rights,
duties & liabilities of a living person.”
• Karnail Singh and others v State of Haryana (2019)- recognized all animals in the animal
kingdom, including avian and aquatic species, as legal entities. All citizens of the state of
Haryana were declared persons in loco parentis (in place of a parent), which will enable
them to act as guardians for all nonhuman animals within the state of Haryana.
COW SLAUGHTER
• Abdul Hakim Qureshi v. State of Bihar (1961)-a total ban on cow slaughter did not infringe on
the religious freedom of Muslims. In the context of Article 48, the Court held that directive
only applies to cows, calves and other animals which have the potential of yielding milk or
have the capacity to work as drought. Therefore, Article 48 does not envisage a prohibition on
the slaughter of all cows or cattle.
• Mohd. Hanif Qureshi v. State of Bihar (1959) -A total ban [on cattle slaughter] was not
permissible if, under economic conditions, keeping useless bull or bullock be a burden on the
society and therefore not in the public interest.
• State of Gujarat v. Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat (2005) -Article 48 envisions a total
ban on the slaughter of cows and their progeny.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
• https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html
THANK YOU…