UNIT – 3: URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY

Objectives

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• Discuss the urban problems related to energy

• Describe global warming as a threat to our environment
• Elucidate acid rain and the reasons for acid rain
• Explain the ozone layer depletion as a threat to life
• Explain the methods of rainwater harvesting
• Describe the meaning and the process of rainwater harvesting
• Discuss the importance of rainwater harvesting
• Examine the techniques of rainwater harvesting
• Define watershed management and its methods

Structure

3.1 Urban Problems Related To Energy

3.2 Scarcity of Water
3.2.1 Reasons for The Scarcity of Water
3.2.2 Need for Water Conservation
3.3 Rainwater Harvesting
3.3.1 Rainwater Harvesting Method
3.3.2 Importance of Rainwater Harvesting
3.3.3 Techniques of Rainwater Harvesting
3.4 Watershed Management
3.4.1 Meaning of Watershed Management
3.4.2 Objective & Importance of Watershed Management
3.5 Global Warming
3.5.1 Meaning of Global Warming
3.5.2 Reasons for Global Warming
3.5.3 Global Warming As A Threat To our Environment
3.6 Acid Rain
3.6.1 Meaning of Acid Rain
3.6.2 Reasons for Acid Rain
3.6.3 Acid Rain As A Threat To Life
3.7 Ozone Layer Depletion
3.7.1 Meaning of Ozone Layer Depletion
3.7.2 Reasons For Ozone Layer Depletion
3.7.3 Ozone Layer Depletion As A Threat To Life
3.8 Other Challenges To Our Environment
3.8.1 Nuclear Accidents
3.8.2 Nuclear Holocaust
3.8.3 Resettlement And Rehabilitation of People
3.8.4 Wasteland Reclamation
3.9 Summary
3.10 Key Words

3.1 URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY

The phenomenon of urbanisation is a global issue. Today, 50 per cent of the world
population living in urban areas are taking a steady stride in most of the developing
countries. The population from the rural areas is slowly shifting to the urban sprawls in
quest of employment and jobs. The increase in urbanisation has led to an increase in the
density of the population living in the cities. The increase in population has occurred due to
the process of urbanisation and the people from rural areas migrate into the urban areas.
The rural population is getting attracted to the cities and town because these places are the
hub of industrialisation and other commercial activities. Therefore, the main reasons behind
urbanisation are:

• Industrialisation
• Socio-economic changes
• Transportation
This rapid increase of population in the urban areas has induced the necessity of managing
the various problems that arise due to various socio-economic factors. This rapid growth of
population within the limited municipal boundary of the urban cities makes it challenging to
make room for residential, commercial, and industrial facilities. Most of the rural population
which lived in the rural areas concentrated on activities that were mainly into agriculture,
development of cottage industries rearing cattle, hunting, fishing, and other activities. It is
the economic growth in the metropolitan cities that increased the commercial activities of
trading, education, industries and many other activities. This has further created major
employment opportunities.

Due to urbanisation, it is a matter of global concern regarding the changes in the

environment as increasing pollution and the exploitation of renewable and other forms of
natural resources. Energy is derived from the various physical and chemical resources
required for running the machine and for making heat and light available.

The energy is produced from fuelwood, cow-dung and other forms of agricultural wastes
have aggravated the situation. For a cohesive management system, there should be
effective methods of energy conservation with the optimum usage of renewable and non-
renewable energy sources. People should conserve energy and look at the methods of using
the solar cooker, solar photovoltaic cells and solar water heaters. The high population and
other problems related to fast-developing urbanisation have several issues that inhibit the
problems in the conservation of energy, which are as follows:

• Lack of awareness
• Careless attitude
• Lack of technical knowledge
• Distortion of market
• Shortage of capital

3.2 SCARCITY OF WATER

Scarcity of water is one of the biggest challenges faced by people since nothing can survive
without water. The amount of safe drinking water is reducing every year because of the
problems in the environment due to global warming, change in climate, droughts and many
other forms of human activities. The continuous growth of population, increasing demand
for agriculture and industrialization have created a demand for more water which is the
major cause of the shortage of water. People are making efforts to collect water by building
reservoirs, dams, creating wells, water harvesting and other groundwater structures. The
scarcity of water affects every economic level and is a threat to the sustainability of natural
resources in the country.

There is more demand for drinking water than its supply. Water scarcity is due to an
increase in the use of freshwater and, secondly, due to the depletion of usable freshwater
resources. The reason for the scarcity of water is the less amount of physical water
resources that can meet the need for water within an area. The other aspect is the
economic water level scarcity which is due to the poor management of the water resources.
This is generally the main cause for a country to experience the scarcity of water. There is a
lack of effective means and methods for providing water in a manner that is accessible and
attainable.

3.2.1 REASONS FOR THE SCARCITY OF WATER

Water scarcity is due to human activities, excess population growth and mismanagement of
water resources. Some of the major reasons for water scarcity are:

• Over usage of water: Water overuse is a major problem that the countries are
dealing with, due to water being overused by humans, animals, industries,
construction, etc.
• Due to pollution and global warming: Due to excessive pollution, the Earth is
getting warmer. There is a rise in the sea levels which is slowly leading towards
natural disasters.
• Lack of efficient water management: There is a lack of effective water management
and distribution of water among human beings, the agriculture sector and
industries. The government needs to work for an effective plan for ensuring the
optimisation of the existing resources of water.
 • Contamination of water: Pollution of water is a major issue for places that do not
have a good drainage system. Pollution can be due to many reasons and it makes it
difficult for people to get a proper supply of freshwater. The release of chemicals
and effluents into rivers, streams and ponds makes them polluted. Sewage and
water drainage into traditional water bodies lead to water contamination and make
it inaccessible for being used.
• Conflict of land and location of water supply: Conflict over an area of land makes it
difficult for people to access the water that is located there. Inaccessible source of
water makes it difficult for people to have a smooth water supply. Especially the
desert areas or places that are secluded may have a scarcity of water.
• Inefficient use of water for agriculture: Agriculture is the main occupation of the
people living in rural areas. They require water for agricultural and irrigation
purposes. The loss of water due to percolation, drainage, evaporation and the
conventional methods which are used for irrigation has led to the major loss of
water.
• Due to drought: A place not getting enough rainfall cannot sustain life without the
supply of fresh water. Places that are under perpetual drought have a major
scarcity of water.
• Lack of water conservation methods: The states must work on conserving water
through the methods of water harvesting and by undertaking operations in large
water bodies that can enhance water storage capacity during monsoon.

3.2.2 NEED FOR WATER CONSERVATION

Water is the most important resource and is needed in our life since our bodies need water
to survive and to function in a normal way. Water is in houses, in the industries and the
generation of electricity. According to the analysis of the World Water Council, the human
population will be growing in the coming years from around 45% to 55% which will put
additional pressure on demand for freshwater. It is said that slowly the world is going to
face a crisis and the demand will outpace the supply of water in the coming years.

Every individual, government, society and industry must find ways to reduce water
consumption. Citizens need to look into the excessive consumption of water seriously and
find ways or methods to use it more wisely. It is important to control the levels of pollution
in freshwater by controlling the excessive usage of pesticides and chemicals. One must look
for alternative methods for using chemical solutions and conserve freshwater.

Lack of water conservation and methods can lead to the following problems:

• Lack of adequate water for drinking water

• Inadequate supply of water will result in hunger
• Water shortage makes it difficult to grow crops
• Shortage of water will lead to diseases and infections
• Lack of water will result in sanitation and hygiene problems

For conserving water, it is important to follow the following methods and implement the
same everywhere:

• People should be educated on the benefits of conserving water.

• Laws and regulations with fines should be determined for preventing water
pollution.
• People should be given information regarding the recycling of rainwater.
• Farmers should adopt farming practices that use less water.
• Preservation of the water catchment areas should be promoted.
• People should take initiatives and contribute funds to the supply of clean water.
especially in areas that face water shortage.

3.3 RAINWATER HARVESTING

Rainwater is one of the purest forms of water since it does not meet soil and rocks. A lot of
pollutants are very often discharged into various water bodies, such as rivers, lakes and
seas, which contaminate the water. The quality of rainwater is influenced by the local
industrial emissions which affect its purity in the area that it falls. The rainwater which is
available in the non-industrial areas is much cleaner and pure. Rainwater is also a
requirement for certain industries that require clean water for manufacturing their
products.
The fast pace of urbanization and the increase in population has increased the gap of supply
and demand for water which has put a lot of pressure on the groundwater and the quality
of surface water. It has become difficult for people to get clean and fresh water. Therefore,
people should be educated and encouraged regarding storing, reusing and recycling water.
It is said that at least 83% of water is used for irrigation purposes in India. Therefore, it is
necessary to find the methods of conserving water from rainfall. This concept can be best
explained by an example of the methods of water conservation that are adopted at
Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Even though it is a desert region and experiences a little amount of
rainfall, the place is self-sufficient in terms of water. On the other hand, places like
Cherrapunji, receive the highest rainfall in the country and still go through water shortage
due to the lack of methods for water conservation.

People across various places in India have experienced either excess or scarcity of water due
to the geographical location of places or due to varied rainfall. They have managed to
survive and irrigate agricultural fields using conventional methods of water conservation.
The conventional methods are very efficient and help to conserve water. However, they are
not very popular. Some of these conventional methods of water conservation are as follows:

• To conserve water by preventing the process of evaporation

• To use sprinklers and other effective measures for reducing water loss
• To grow hybrid crops that help in conserving water
• To reuse and recycle water for irrigation, gardening and washing cars
• To close the taps on time and prevent the wastage of water
• To focus on contour cultivation and terrace farming to prevent runoff of water
• To avoid the discharge of sewage disposal into natural water resources
• To use the methods of water conservation of rainwater harvesting and
watershed management.

3.3.1 RAINWATER HARVESTING METHOD

The method of rainwater harvesting is becoming very popular especially in urban areas. Due
to the construction of houses and roads in the urban areas, there is very little land left for
the water to collect and soak. In the rural areas, most of the excess water flows into the
rivers and eventually dry up over a period. One must look for ways to hold back the water
where it can be stored and work for rejuvenating the supply of groundwater. The method of
rainwater harvesting is collecting the rainwater on the roofs of the buildings and thereafter
storing it under the ground for later use. This process helps recharge the supply of
groundwater and helps in increasing the water table. Thus, rainwater harvesting can help
conserve water and prevent wastage of running water.

The process of rainwater harvesting is depicted in Figure:

Process of Recycling in Rainwater Harvesting

Source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/557953841308923554/?lp=true

In several cities, the municipal corporation and the local government are making efforts for
introducing the methods of rainwater harvesting. Several houses are developing structures
for collecting excess water and recycling water. Implementing these methods helps increase
the level of groundwater. The rainwater collected on the rooftops and other places is stored
for later use. The method of rainwater harvesting can be done in the following ways:

• By collecting rainwater on the rooftops

• By collecting the water run-off from local catchments
• By garnering seasonal floodwater from local streams and rivers
• By using materials, like catchments, coarse mesh, conduits and gutters to capture
the running water
The advantages of rainwater harvesting are as follows:

• It helps increase the availability of water.

• It increases the level of the declining water table.
• It is an environment-friendly method of collecting water.
• It improves the quality of groundwater.
• It prevents soil erosion and flooding of water

Rain is the first form of water that is pure. The method of collecting rainwater through
rainwater harvesting helps in the indirect collection of rainwater. The collection of rainwater
revives groundwater which is one of the primary sources of water. The secondary sources of
water include rivers, ponds, lakes, oceans and other forms of groundwater.

Thus, rainwater harvesting helps in the optimum use of water and effectively storing it for
later usage.

Some of the objectives of rainwater harvesting are shown in Figure:

Objectives of Rainwater Harvesting

(Source: https://www.slideshare.net/reddevil04/rainwater-harvesting-and-watershed-
management)

Rainwater harvesting is a method of collecting and storing water for later usage. It refers to
making the optimum use of the water where it falls by conserving it and using it when
required. It a method of collecting rainwater from the surface before it flows onto the
ground. Due to overpopulation and excess usage of water in the urban areas, the supply of
water is unable to meet the excess demand. People have started to dig up tube wells to
obtain groundwater. But this has led to the depletion of the groundwater levels. Therefore,
it is necessary to find ways through the methods to replenish the groundwater by collecting
rainwater through different techniques.

MEANING OF RAINWATER HARVESTING

The term ‘harvesting’ can be defined as collecting things from natural sources. Rainwater
harvesting is a process of collecting clean and pure water as it falls on the roof and is
directed into a suitable point of storage. The scarcity of fresh and clean water is a major
cause of concern, and it is important to store water wisely before it flows or runs off into
the ground. There are many new and better techniques for collecting rainwater, eliminating
its impurities and directing it to the places where it is needed.

The process of rainwater harvesting is required in the following places and situations:

• There is a scarcity of groundwater

• The groundwater is contaminated
• In mountains or rugged terrains
• Places where flooding is common
• There is a risk of intrusion of saltwater
• Places where the population is high
• Places where the prices of electricity and water are rising
• The water is too harsh or polluted

Rainwater harvesting is one of the most effective methods for supplying water during the
time of water scarcity and its demand is increasing with the increase in population.
Rainwater harvesting helps ease and meet the demand for water from normal conventional
sources. Rainwater harvesting helps in the collection and storage of water, which further
helps in meeting the supply requirements of water.

Rainwater harvesting varies with the methods of collection and the purpose it is used for.
The basic usage of rainwater is as follows:
 • For drinking, cooking and for personal use
• For irrigation purposes
• For taking care of the livestock
• For industrial purpose

Rainwater harvesting, according to Wikipedia, is the accumulation and deposition of

rainwater for reuse on-site, rather than allowing it to run off.

3.3.2 IMPORTANCE OF RAINWATER HARVESTING

The fast-changing global climate and population have led to a scarcity of water and gradual
falling of water levels, which is a major concern since it leads to the shortage of usable
water and causes an imbalance in the salinity of the area in the coastal areas. The increase
in industrialization and the dumping of chemical waste into the water bodies have led to
pollution in streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. This problem of water scarcity is a global issue
and needs to be treated with a viable solution since the supply of fresh water cannot be
increased on the planet. Therefore, rainwater harvesting is the best alternative method for
the conservation of water. Rainwater harvesting is an easy and economical method that is
environment-friendly and is becoming popular for eco-conservation and the positive usage
of natural resources.

The quality of rainwater is very important for domestic uses since it is used for drinking and
cooking purposes. Rainwater, when mixed with pollutants, becomes difficult to consume
unless it is treated through various processes for meeting the standards for drinking. The
process of rainwater harvesting in urban and rural areas is of great importance since it helps
in providing sources for supplementing the groundwater levels, increasing the level of
moisture in the soil, mitigating the flood situations and also improving the quality of
groundwater. In homes and residences, the rainwater can be used with proper filtration and
treatment. The importance of rainwater harvesting is given below.

• It is a relatively clean and free source of water.

• It provides a source of water at a place where there is a requirement.
• It can be managed independently.
• It is environment friendly.
 • It helps people become self-sufficient and self-reliant in conserving water resources.
• It helps in cost savings as compared to rising water costs.
• It provides clean and pure water for human consumption after proper treatment.

• It requires low running costs, low operation, maintenance and it is not labour-
intensive.

3.3.3 TECHNIQUES OF RAINWATER HARVESTING:

Rainwater harvesting is an innovative method that is used for channelizing rainwater that
falls on rooftops and is put into a storage system with the help of pipes and storage tanks.
The rainwater falling on the roof of buildings is collected in tanks after assessing the
condition of the site and the pattern of the rainfall. Rooftops should have enough incline for
the water to fall and they should be strong enough to carry the flow of water. Once the
water is stored in the storage tanks, it should be covered to prevent any form of pollution or
breeding of mosquito, and to avoid loss of water due to evaporation and contamination. It is
necessary to regularly maintain and clean the system for rainwater which is collected for
maintaining hygiene. The rainwater harvesting uses the following techniques for collecting
the rainwater:

• Catchment on the roof surface for collecting rainwater

• Storing water with the help of pipes and channels from the rooftops and other
catchment areas
• Washing of roof for cleaning and filtering the system to remove pollutants and
contaminants
• Storage systems for collection and storage of water
• Purification of water through various processes of ozone or UV light
• Method of distribution of rainwater, through small pumps and pressure tanks A
representation of rainwater harvesting is shown in Figure:
 The technique of Rainwater Harvesting
(Source: https://worldwaterreserve.com/rainwater-harvesting/introduction-to-rainwater-
harvesting/)

There are the following two methods which are used for collecting rainwater for the houses:

• Surface runoff rainwater harvesting

• Rooftop rainwater harvesting

Rainwater harvesting in the urban areas is done by collecting rainwater from the rooftops
and other methods to prevent run-off water. It can be prevented through the following
methods:

• Digging a recharge pit

• Making a recharge trench
• Building a tube well
• Creating a recharge well

Rainwater harvesting in rural areas is done by the following methods:

• By adding gully plugs

• By making contour bund
• By creating a gabion structure
• By building a percolation tank
• By constructing a check dam
• By making Nala bunds and cement plugs
 • By creating a recharge shaft
• By building recharge dug wells
• By constructing dykes on the surface and building groundwater dams

3.4 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

The term watershed refers to the geographical area through which water flows across the
land and drains into a common source of water, whether a stream, river, lake, or ocean.
Watershed management is an integrated process of implementing the practices of land use
and water management methods for improving the quality of water along with natural
resources. It is a management system that consists of physical and hydrological natural
resources along with human resources which imply the rational use of land and water
resources for optimal production without harming the resources. It involves the managing
of the ground and surface water comprehensively without harming the soil productivity and
water resources. It helps in identifying the various forms of pollution that can affect the
quality of water in the watershed and help in implementing ways to reduce or remove those
pollution sources. These activities have an impact on the quality and quantity of natural
resources. The quality of the resources within the watershed gets affected by various
household activities, agricultural activities and the run-off from the areas of development.
Watershed management helps in controlling the level of pollution in the water and other
natural resources in the watershed.

The watersheds can be classified based on their sizes:

• Micro watersheds: These are small watersheds that can be made between fields and
their size is around a few hectares to about hundreds of hectares of land.
• Small watersheds: These watersheds have a drainage area that consists of a few
thousand hectares of land.
• Large watersheds: These watersheds are normally large watersheds consisting of
river basins.

Watershed management entails the relationship between the use of land, water and soil. It
forms a link between the upstream and the downstream areas. An important aspect of
watershed management is the need for environmental protection while implementing the
process of storing water. Watershed management helps in planning and organizing the use
of land depending upon human needs in an area. It helps in rehabilitating the land which is
degraded by protecting soil and the water resources that help in producing several
products. It helps in enhancing the water quality by protecting the health of the watershed’s
resources. The activities involved with watershed management are as follows:

• To conserve soil and moisture with the help of trenching, creating vegetative
barriers, terracing, etc.
• To plant and sow multiple kinds of shrubs, legumes, grass, trees and other forms of
land development measures
• To encourage natural regeneration
• To promote horticulture and agro-forestry
• To conserve fuelwood and look for its substitution
• To create and encourage awareness amongst the people and increase their
participation

3.4.1 MEANING OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Watershed management is the method of utilizing the land that is based on its capability by
taking care of the other resources in the watershed to effectively provide the desired goods
and services by conserving the soil and water resources. It is a method of planning and
organizing techniques for achieving the objective of managing the unproductive land and
working on activities for the benefit of the people. Different stakeholders and the
government are involved in various programs for adopting strategies made for the multi-
resource project of managing the watershed and identifying various resources and the
issues involving the watershed. They coordinate and work on integrated activities for
developing and implementing the plans for the watershed with solutions that are social,
economic, environmentally friendly and sustainable.

A Watershed is an area where there is a flow of water into a storage system or other forms
of water bodies, such as streams, rivers, lakes or oceans. The place, from where the surface
water flows into the water body, is referred to as a watershed or drainage basin. It is a
method of conserving water through the process of watershed management since the
quality and quantity of water are affected by the changes inland due to the process of
agriculture, construction, mining and other forms of activities of human beings. It is a
process of conserving water in a watershed, where the water is collected from rainfall and
other methods of runoff system through the soil. The process of watershed management
helps in maintaining ecological balance by developing the appropriate use of the land with
effective planning, managing the irrigated lands which are fed by rain and preventing soil
erosion. It helps in controlling the use of natural resources by providing sustainable
methods to make optimum use of land.

A representation of watershed management is shown in Figure:

Watershed Management

Soil Preservation/Enhancement
• Erosion
• Structural Status
• Biological

Vegetation
Watershed Preservation/Enhancement
• Bio mass Quantity
Management
• Bio mass Quantity

Water Preservation/Enhancement
• Food Peaks/River flows
• Groundwater Recharge
• Sediment loads
• Pollutants

Watershed Management
(Source: https://www.isprs.org/caravan/documents/Watershed_Lao.pdf)

The forests act as filters and the water is very clean and pure. Mountains play an important
role in preventing soil erosion, but various changes in the forests speed up the flow of water
from the system and reduce the process of filtering. Forests act as a cover and prevent the
erosion of soil. Increasing forest cover is the most effective method for conserving water
through the process of watershed management.

The advantages of planned watershed management include the following:

• It provides a clean quality of water.

• It ensures the beneficial use of water resources.
• It helps in promoting social and economic development.
 • It reduces the risks of natural disasters.
• It gives out higher yields.
• It improves the quality of the soil.
• It helps improve and maintain the biodiversity of flora and fauna.
• It conserves and minimizes the degradation of land.
A pictorial representation of the watershed process is shown in Figure:

Factors

Time Land Cover

Substrate Climate
Topography

Erosion Landforms Base Level

Transportation

Processes

Deposition

Watershed Process
(Source: http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=410)

The selection of a watershed for a place depends upon its necessity for selecting the
watershed and the terrain of the slope. The watershed can be managed better in the areas
where there are no undulating mountains or plains and in a simple valley with forest areas.

In hilly areas, the watershed is smaller because of intensive agriculture. Watershed

management with the planned management of natural resources leads to several benefits
in terms of improving livelihood, increase in food production, taking care of the
environment and other issues concerning biodiversity.

Various steps used in watershed planning are as follows:

• To work out base maps for carrying out surveys

• To explore and identify the need of the watershed for the overall development
• To analyses the rainfall characteristics of a place
 • To determine the soil maps and classification of lands according to their capability
for different uses, such as forestry, agriculture and horticulture
• To prepare the inventory needed for the existing land uses
• To assess the pattern of agricultural production patterns and potential markets
• To work on the topographic and hydrologic surveys of the place
• To work on methods for identifying the suitable areas for groundwater development
• To determine a cohesive time-bound plan for the conservation of land and soil,
groundwater recharge, production of agriculture and horticulture, and productive
methods of aforestation
• To work on priorities for implementing the project with an assessment of cost and
social benefits

3.4.2 OBJECTIVE & IMPORTANCE OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Watershed management is a method that is used for protecting the degeneration of land. It
is an interlinked process for getting maximum production out of the land. Watershed
management helps in organizing the utilization of land and water resources for sustained
production while keeping the environment and the natural resources intact. Using the right
technology and effective planning reduces soil erosion. The rainwater can be controlled to
move down the slopes slowly, ensuring optimum infiltration and percolation. The process
starts from the highest point on the watershed and goes down into the lower parts while
taking care of the impact of rain on the soil, creating the contours to remove the excess
pressure and checking the speed at different intervals. Watersheds make good use of the
soil and water resources by supplying clean and fresh water along with controlling any form
of damage due to overflow. Watershed management takes care of the resources which are
interdependent by focusing on the problems of land and water.

The different objectives of watershed management program are:

• To conserve soil and water by controlling runoff of water

• To effectively use the run-off water for a useful purpose
• To conserve and plan the watershed management for increased and sustained
production
 • To enhance the water resources in the watershed
• To check soil erosion and to reduce organic, inorganic and soil pollution
• To help in restoring the deteriorating land
• To control the floods in the downstream areas
• To increase the infiltration of rainwater
• To increase fodder for the livestock
• To recharge the groundwater level, wherever possible.

3.5 GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming refers to the average rise in the temperature of the atmosphere of the
Earth’s surface due to an increase in the heat from the sun. The increased levels of energy
are trapped in the atmosphere which affects the Earth and does not disperse into space.
The trapping of the Earth’s energy by the atmosphere results in the greenhouse effect. This
greenhouse effect increases the temperature of the Earth that leads to climate changes. The
result of global warming has had its impact on the Earth and led to the melting of glaciers,
droughts, rising of sea-levels and heavy rainstorms. The changes in the environment due to
human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels have led to an increase in temperature.
To predict the outcome of global warming is not an easy task. There are so many different
reasons and various natural process that are faced by the researchers. Global warming, in
turn, results in the rise of sea level, heavy rainfall, snow, hailstorms, droughts, etc. Heavy
rains cause to rise river waters which lead to floods in many regions. Global warming has
created an imbalance in the seasonal cycle, some areas witness perennial drought while
some face unseasonable heavy rainfall. Due to global warming, the glaciers and ice on the
mountains are melting at a rapid rate.

These issues have arisen due to increasing the number of industries and the generation of
power that emit harmful gases. The harmful gases have resulted in the heating up of the
Earth. It is observed that the process of global warming is not the same these days as
earlier. At present, an increase in global average temperature is moving at a rapid pace with
an increase in population and economic and agricultural activities compared to the past
10,000 years.
The figure shows the graphical representation of global temperatures of the last 1,700
years:

Global Temperatures in the Last 1,700 Years

Source: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/whats-difference-between-
global-warming-and- climate-change

3.5.1 MEANING OF GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is defined as increasing the average temperature of the Earth that has
resulted in several weather phenomena, such as leading to precipitation and storms. Global
warming is an outcome of human activities that gave rise to greenhouse gases and changes
in the global environment. The changes in temperature of the Earth have led to various
climatic conditions of heavy or inadequate rainfall, drought, winds, snow, rise in sea levels
and more situations across the globe. During the last 100 years, it is seen that the Earth’s
temperature has gone up by a degree. The process of warming takes place maximum at the
poles, Antarctic and the Arctic, and this process will continue.

According to various researchers, the cause of global warming and its effect leads to
changes in the climate. Global warming takes place because of climate change that has
increased the temperature on the surface of the Earth. It also altered the balance of
weather and the ecosystem over a period. The extreme weather conditions lead to an
increase in intensity, frequency and duration of heatwaves, floods, drought, hurricanes,
tornados and more because of changes in temperature and different forms of
precipitations. Global warming is affecting several unfavourable circumstances across the
globe which cause health problems among people all over the globe.

People are planting trees in the surrounding areas of the industries for absorbing the
poisonous gases and other forms of residue materials that are released by the industries.
These trees also can bring down the level of pollution to a certain level. Trees have a
saturation point after which they not able to absorb any more of the polluted matter,
therefore, planting trees is not the permanent solution. Hence, it is important to look at a
possible solution for a long-term basis with proper analysis a study of the various kinds of
technologies and instruments which are used for controlling the pollution levels and
homogeneous global climate.

From the Encyclopaedia of Earth, the phrase ‘global warming’ refers to the documented
historical warming of the Earth’s surface based upon worldwide temperature records that
have been maintained by humans since the 1880s.

3.5.2 REASONS FOR GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming is indirectly linked to climate change which modifies the weather
balance and it is directly linked to the increase of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
When the sunlight warms the surface of the Earth, some part of the heat is absorbed by the
earth and the rest is radiated back into the atmosphere. Some of these radiations are
absorbed by the greenhouse gases which warm up the atmosphere. Some of this heat
energy is reflected in the earth which leads to the greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil
fuel, burning of forests, emission from vehicles, agricultural practices add to the carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. It also traps the heat and acts as a
blanket on the Earth’s surface which leads to global warming. The impact of the greenhouse
effect is a natural condition but the increase in the level of greenhouse gases are linked to
various kinds of human activities.

The figure shows the data representing the global greenhouse gas emission:
 Chart Depicting the Greenhouse-gas Emissions
(Source: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data)

The greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere are:

• Water vapour
• Carbon dioxide
• Carbon monoxide
• Nitrogen oxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons
• Sulphur fluoride
• Methane
• Hydrocarbons
• Water vapour

It has been said that in the last 50 years the increase in the atmosphere of greenhouse gas
concentrations such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone have increased
temperature on the surface of the Earth. The major source that contributes to the
greenhouse effect is the burning of fossil fuels which emit carbon dioxide has the capability
of trapping a lot of heat in the atmosphere in comparison to the other gases.

The chlorofluorocarbons are synthetic compounds which are due to the presence of
industries where it is used for several processes. These have been controlled by the
different regulatory organizations and the international agreements since they have the
capability to destroy the ozone layer.

Therefore, scientists across the world have concluded that the average temperature on the
earth is rising at twice the rate that it was doing about 50 years back. Greenhouse gases play
an important role and are one of the main reasons for global warming.

Global greenhouse gas emission by economic sector is shown in Figure:

Data for Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Source: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data

3.5.3 GLOBAL WARMING AS A THREAT TO OUR ENVIRONMENT

The last century has seen the major effect of global warming with an increase in average
temperatures globally. The sea levels are on the rise, the oceans are becoming warm. The
prolonged droughts pose a threat to the crops, the wildlife and the human population. It is
affecting the polar bears in the arctic along with the various other animals across the world
because of the changing climates. The days are getting warmer and warmer with a decrease
in the colder days and nights. Global warming is majorly affecting some parts of the world
which are getting warmer faster than the other parts and this continuing trend makes the
situation worse. The rising temperatures are altering the trend of snowfall and rainfall with
severe storms melting mountain ice and glaciers affect various countries across the world.
Countries should move forward and implement methods of reducing the emission of heat-
trapping gases within the atmosphere which can help to slow down the warming rate
leading to changes in the environment.

At the Earth Summit which was held in Janeiro, there were around 153 nations participated
and all of them signed the convention on climate change to reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere. Several summits are being held globally which
are being attended by the president and prime ministers of most of the countries to control
global warming.

According to the United Nations, “Climate change is a global challenge and requires a global
solution. Greenhouse gas emissions have the same impact on the atmosphere whether they
originate in Washington, London or Beijing. Consequently, action by one country to reduce
emissions will do little to slow global warming unless other countries act together.
Ultimately, an effective strategy will require commitments and action by all the major
emitting countries.

The Paris agreement was signed by around 200 countries in 2015 which was to focus on
limiting the global temperature to below 1.5°C. Across the world, the major bio-diversity is
at risk and facing extinction by 2100 because natural habitats are getting destroyed. The salt
balance in the North Atlantic Ocean is getting unbalanced due to the melting of Greenland
ice and polar icecaps. Most of the living organisms on the surface of the Earth are
dependent on the ecosystem and these can be sustained only if the temperatures are
controlled. Humans high dependency on fuel has surged global temperature and it is high
time to look for an alternate environmentally friendly source of energy.

3.6 ACID RAIN

Acid rain is a form of precipitation that is an environmental problem that affects many
countries around the world. Human activities involve the burning of fossil fuels for
electricity to run various appliances such as computers and televisions. Human beings make
use of natural resources and the trees in the forests are cut on a large scale to obtain wood
for building homes. The gases are burnt for running cars, buses, aeroplanes and heating
homes during the cold condition. This burning of fossil fuels and gases results in causing
pollution that releases the harmful substances of pollutants within the environment. The
pollutants in the air generate travels to a certain distance and fall on the ground in the form
of rain or dust which is also called deposition.

Acid rain is formed when the rain comes into contact with pollutants in the air, like carbon
dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Acid rain is a form of precipitation that
contains acidic content of nitric acid or sulphuric acid and they fall on the surface of the
earth in a wet form. The presence of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere
is due to the burning of fossil fuels. The pollutants which are released into the atmosphere
mix and react with water, oxygen and other chemicals which form acid rain. When acid rain
falls on the Earth’s surface, it damages plants, soil, pollute the water and affect the animals.
Though acid rain does not burn, it but indirectly harm people. When pollutants react with
other substances, they create ground-level ozone, which affects the health of the people
and make them sick.

3.6.1 MEANING OF ACID RAIN

Acid rain is a form of precipitation that occurs on the surface of the Earth as a result of air
pollution. The burning of fossil fuels, wastes from industries, factories, vehicular emission
and burning of forests add to the pollution in the air. Some of these gases in the
atmosphere react with water vapour in the air and clouds to form sulphuric and nitric acids.
The rain that falls on the ground from these clouds is termed acid rain.

Several scientists from various countries started studying the concept of acid rain, and soon
it was recognised as an environmental problem. Acid rain is affecting many countries across
the globe. For example, due to acid rain, there are dead lakes in Scandinavia. In Britain,
freshwater fish are dying. All over the world, aquatic creatures and forests are bearing the
brunt of acid rain. A lot of research is being conducted by scientists on how acid rain affects
birds, animals and human beings.

The important sources of nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide in the air are:
• Burning of fossil fuels
• Electric power generators
• Gases from heavy equipment and vehicles
 • Process of manufacturing, oil refineries, and many other industries

Acid rain can be blown by winds to great distances in the atmosphere. They can blow across
the borders between various countries and from one continent to another. The acid rain can
also take the form of snow, mists and dry specks of dust. At times, it may fall large distances
away from the source of pollution. The falling of acid rain can, at times, have a serious
impact on the water, soil, forests and buildings.

Sometimes acidic particles and gases from the air settle on the surface of the earth when
there is a paucity of water vapour or moisture. This phenomenon is referred to as dry
deposition. When these particles are deposited on the Earth’s surface they are transported
by air and wind to form larger particles that can be harmful to human health. When acidic
water flows on the ground, it can even harm the animals and plants.

3.6.2 REASONS FOR ACID RAIN

Human activities and natural resources have a hand in the formation of acid rain. The
burning of fossil fuels results in pollutants that are released into the air. Such pollutants can
reach a higher level of the atmosphere, where they mix with various substances and react
with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acidic pollutants. When the sulphur and
nitrogen oxides react with water, this causes precipitation in the form of acid rain. Even the
sunlight increases the speed of these reactions. It leads to creating acid in the atmosphere.
The nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide dissolve very fast in the water, and these two can
be carried very far with the help of winds. Normally, there are two kinds of acid depositions
which take place:

• Wet deposition: When the pollutants are blown by the wind to the areas where the
weather is wet, it combines with sulphur and nitrogen oxides. It becomes acidic and
falls to the ground in the form of rain, snow, fog, mist or sleet. The acidic water flows
on the ground which affects the animals and plants. When acidic water flows into
the rivers, canals or the seas, it affects the aquatic and marine habitats.

• Dry deposition: In certain areas, where the weather is withered, the wind fans the
acidic pollutants in the air. Once the acidic pollutants blend with smoke or dust, they
 settle down in the form of dry particles. When these particles fall on the ground they
land on the trees, houses, vehicles and buildings. These pollutants are then, at times,
washed away from the surface by the rainstorms, winds and the flow of water.

Acid rain is caused by the following sources:

• Natural sources: Wildfires, decaying vegetation and volcanoes are some of the
natural sources which act as agent for acid rain. The volcanoes are a source of major
acidic gases which cause acid rain compared to the other forms of precipitation of
snow, fog, mist and more. Acid rain also affects the health of the people within the
surrounding areas.

• Human activities: Economic activities like factories, industries, power generators,

automobiles, burning of fossil fuels, etc., are the major contributors to chemical gas,
such as sulphur and nitrogen emissions that cause acid rain. The factories and
running of vehicles regularly produce a high level of gaseous emissions daily into the
air. These gases eventually react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen and other
chemicals to form various acidic compounds which result in high amounts of acid
rain.

3.6.3 ACID RAIN AS A THREAT TO LIFE

Acid rain is very harmful to plants, animals and human beings. Acid rain is harmful to plants,
trees and forests since it degrades the nutrients of soil (calcium and magnesium) which are
needed by the plants to survive. Without these nutrients, the plants and trees are exposed
to infections and damaged by insects, snow and rain. Due to acid rain, aluminium goes into
the soil which limits the capacity of retaining water. The plants and trees are damaged
because acid rain prevents the photosynthesis process.

Acidic rain causes health problems in human beings. Polluted air has several harmful
particles, which makes it difficult for people to breathe, and these particles harm the lungs
of the people.
The acidic precipitation flows into lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. The water bodies
become acidic that eventually affect the aquatic animals, plants, phytoplankton and other
creatures.

Many buildings, monuments and statues get damaged due to acidic rain. The chemicals in
the acidic rain react with the materials and make them worn out. Marble structures are
badly affected by acidic precipitation because the presence of sulphur dioxide increases the
rate of corrosion of limestone, sandstone and marble. The Taj Mahal in India is a good
example of the effect of acidic rain.

3.7 OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

The pollution in the atmosphere is due to the release of gases containing harmful
substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride,
hydrochlorofluorocarbons, methyl bromide and nitrogen oxides. These substances led to
the depletion of ozone and resulted in unbalancing the stratospheric ozone layer. The ozone
layer acts as a protection for blocking the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from reaching the
surface of the Earth. Due to various human activities, the ozone layer is slowly getting
destroyed by chemicals and other ozone-depleting substances.

The ozone layer across the globe is getting depleted across various continents and this is
resulting in overexposure to the UV radiation from the sun’s rays. Australia has been
witnessing five to nine percent depletion of the ozone layer which has increased the risk of
overexposure to UV radiations. Longer exposure to UV radiations can lead to cancer of the
skin and damaging the immune system among living beings. It also affects the crops by
reducing their productivity levels which indirectly affects the food chain on the ecosystem.

3.7.1 MEANING OF OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

The ozone layer is a part of the earth’s stratosphere that contains high concentrations of
ozone. It acts as a shield and helps protect the earth from ultraviolet radiations from the
sun’s rays. In chemical terms, it is explained that each ozone molecule contains 3 atoms of
oxygen and is denoted chemically as O3. Around 90% of the ozone is found in the
stratosphere and the remaining 10% is in the troposphere which is the region that happens
to be the closest to the earth. Sometimes, a high concentration of ozone can lead to
irritation in the eye and the mucous membrane.

Ozone is formed through a chemical process that requires sunlight. The formation of ozone
in the stratosphere happens with the breaking down of the oxygen molecule by the process
of ultraviolet radiations from the sun. On the other hand, the ozone in the troposphere is
formed by various chemical reactions due to the gases that come in from various sources of
pollution. The depletion of the ozone layer is leading to the thinning down of the layer of
ozone in the atmosphere due to pollution from industries and other forms of human
activities.

The depletion in the ozone layer is happening due to the release of different chemicals
containing chlorofluorocarbons and other forms of gases that enter the stratosphere after
being emitted and destroy the ozone layer. Due to the number of human activities and
industrial pollution, there is an increase in the amount of ozone in the troposphere and the
amount of ozone in the stratosphere is decreasing where it is needed. The main reason for
the breakdown of the ozone layer is due to chlorofluorocarbons. The polar regions of the
earth are experiencing a much larger decrease in stratospheric ozone.

3.7.2 REASONS FOR OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Ozone layer depletion is the thinning of the ozone layer present in the atmosphere, which is
due to the presence of chlorine and bromine atoms in the atmosphere. When these atoms
connect with the ozone layer, they destroy the ozone molecules. It is said that one chlorine
can destroy 1,00,000 molecules of ozone which logically means that it is being destroyed
faster than it is being made. On exposure to high ultraviolet rays, some of the compounds
release chlorine and bromine, which leads to depletion of the ozone layer. These
compounds are called Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) which are effective in the
depletion of the ozone layer. The various substances which contribute to the depletion of
ozone layers are chlorofluorocarbon, carbon tetrachloride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons and
methyl chloroform. The substances which contain bromine are halons, methyl bromide and
hydro Bromo fluorocarbons. The substance which is present in large quantities is
chlorofluorocarbon which plays the role of a major element in the depletion of the ozone
layer.

The depletion of the ozone layer is a major concern for all the countries globally and it is
connected with many factors. The main reasons responsible for the depletion of the ozone
layer are as follows:

• Chlorofluorocarbons: These are released by refrigerators, air-conditioners, soaps,

solvents, spray aerosols and more which are the main cause of ozone depletion. The
ultraviolet radiations break down the molecules of chlorofluorocarbons in the
stratosphere. These eventually release chlorine atoms which react with ozone and
destroy it.
• Rocket launching: Releasing of rockets in space, results in a faster depletion of the
ozone layer, than what is happening due to chlorofluorocarbons. This should be
controlled or else there will be a major loss to the ozone layer in the coming years.
• Nitrogenous compounds: Nitrogenous compounds are used in farming and
industrial activities. Nitrogenous compounds, such as urea, amine and guanidine are
responsible for the depletion of the ozone layer.
• Due to natural causes: The stratospheric winds and the sunspots are some of the
natural causes which lead to the depletion of the ozone layer. Even volcanic
eruptions are one of the natural causes of the depletion of the ozone layer.

3.7.3 OZONE LAYER DEPLETION AS A THREAT TO LIFE

In 1987, the countries globally met at the Montreal Protocol on “substances that deplete
the ozone layer”, where a decision was taken to ease out the substances which result in
depleting the ozone layer by the UN member countries. This decision has led the Antarctic
region to recover from the ozone depletion, which is a positive sign that this will also work
in the Northern and the Southern hemispheres in the coming years. Reduction in ozone
layers would mean less protection from the rays of the sun and more exposure to the UV
radiations of the sun on the surface of the earth.

The ozone depletion is the maximum at the South Pole which happens mainly during late
winters and the peak period is in October when the ozone is destroyed in a lot of areas. This
results in the creation of the ozone hole’ which can be seen in the pictures of satellites that
show the Antarctic ozone images. Sometimes, the size of this hole is even bigger than the
continent of Antarctica.

The ozone layer depletion in Antarctica is depicted in Figure:

(Chart Showing the Development of the Size of the Ozone Hole in Antarctica)

(Source: European Environment Agency)

Depletion of the ozone layer leads to the radiation of ultraviolet rays of the sun which are
responsible for several health and environmental problems as mentioned below:

• It leads to skin cancer as exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause this in human beings.
• It damages the eyes and causes major problems of photokeratitis which is referred
to as snow blindness and cataracts.
• It damages the immune system and impairment of immune system.
• It causes faster ageing of the skin, develops rashes and other skin problems.
• It affects the lungs and genetic changes to both humans and animals. People
experience problems such as breathing, asthma and other issues.
• It affects the growth of larvae in the animal kingdom.
• It changes the behaviour and habits of animals.
• It also leads to blindness and retinal damage.
• It stuns plant growth as the UV radiation affects photosynthetic.
 • It changes the flower-bearing capacity of the plant and also the time of flowering.
• It causes damage to marine life as UV ray penetrates the sea through many
kilometres.
• It affects the entire food chain as UV radiation can influence the survival rates of
these microscopic organisms and disturb the total ecosystem.

3.8 OTHER CHALLENGES TO OUR ENVIRONMENT

The climatic changes due to human activities of industrialisation and population growth
have polluted the atmosphere causing more heat to be trapped in the lower atmosphere.
The loss of biodiversity is linked to rapid economic growth. To build more space for human
activities, the forests are being trampled and green cover is diminishing. The destruction of
habitat could be due to agriculture, mining, resettlements, forestation and more other
reasons.

There are other conditions of earthquakes, tsunami, nuclear disasters, etc., which have
affected the environment in a major way. The aftermath of radioactive disaster causes
radioactivity over larger areas. In certain local ecosystems, the power plant radiation is
lethally high in areas within a 6-mile radius of the power plant which affects animals and
plants, such as mice and coniferous trees. It affects the health of people and results in
cancer, genetic disorders and even leads to death.

Nuclear accidents result in harming the ozone layer. Due to the explosions, there is a
creation of nitrogen oxides from oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere which depletes the
ozone layer.

3.8.1 NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS

Nuclear energy was supposed to be the alternative to fossil fuels, but the benefits of nuclear
energy resulted in several downfalls. Nuclear accidents have caused major loss of life, large-
scale destruction of property, long-term illness for a long period, etc. Various radioactive
fallouts lead to major health problems of genetic disorders, cancer and lead to death.
Nuclear accidents have harmed all forms of life and future generations in the affected areas.
One of the worst nuclear disasters of the world took place in Chernobyl on 26th April 1986.
Chernobyl is situated in the north of the capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv. The disaster happened
when a sudden rush of power during the testing of reactor systems resulted in a massive
explosion and the fire destroyed unit 4. A huge amount of radiation got leaked, which
eventually spread over Europe and the Soviet Union. Due to these radiations, approximately
35 people lost their lives immediately and more than 2,40,000 people had to be relocated.

Some of the major nuclear power plant accidents across the world are as follows:

• Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (2011)

• Chernobyl disaster (1986)
• Three Mile Island accident (1979)
• SL-1 accident (1961)

Nuclear accidents result in thyroid cancer. It is caused by radioactive iodine which is a

common radioactive material used in reactors. It leads to the loss of white blood cells and
platelets which results in damaging the immune system and can lead to haemorrhaging. It
also causes leukaemia, a type of skin cancer that is caused due to exposure of gamma rays.
Apart from affecting human beings, nuclear accidents result in a major loss of infrastructure
with the destruction of buildings, roads, bridges and more.

3.8.2 NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST

Nuclear holocaust refers to the near destruction of human civilization by nuclear warfare.
The use of nuclear energy in war has had disastrous effects on human beings and the
environment. Hiroshima and Nagasaki incidents are the only examples of using nuclear
power in a war. It led to one of the worst disasters in history in 1945 when the United States
dropped atomic bombs over the towns of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. These two
atomic bombs led to the killing of thousands of people and many thousands were left
injured. It also destroyed everything that was around a long distance. In Hiroshima, around
90,000 people lost their lives and in Nagasaki, around 60,000 to 80,000 people lost their
lives. The effects of the radiation that was emitted from the nuclear bombs are seen even
today in the form of cancer and genetic mutations which affected many other people who
survived the bombing including children.
The use of nuclear weapons leads to the nuclear holocaust and major accidents that destroy
mankind and affect the animals in their habitat. If countries started using these nuclear
weapons, then all humanity would be wiped out from the surface of the Earth. This will lead
the world to the situation of ‘nuclear winter’ which will result in a major drop in the
temperature of the planet and the amount of sunlight received by the Earth would also
reduce. This combination of the lowering of global temperature, lack of food, and the
process of radioactivity leads to a situation of nuclear holocaust, where it is very difficult for
living beings to survive.

Apart from this, another recent nuclear incident was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
that occurred due to a series of equipment failures. This resulted in nuclear meltdowns and
the release of radioactive materials at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. It is the largest
nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl disaster. It was due to a large tsunami following the
Tohuku Earthquake of magnitude 9 that hit the Pacific Ocean on the east of the Japanese
main island.

3.8.3 RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE

The growing industrialization and economic growth have resulted in people moving out of
their areas and resettling in different places. There are several natural and man-made
disasters that forced people to move out of their land. Some of the natural disasters are
cyclones, earthquakes, tsunami and floods. These situations lead to the destruction of the
houses of people and render them homeless. It forces them to move out of their homes and
resettle in other places.

Manmade disasters are the industrial incidents that took place in Bhopal due to the leakage
of gas, oil spills, nuclear accidents, leakage of toxic substances and many other reasons.

Some of the reasons for the people to resettle and rehabilitate in other places are as
follows:

• Due to manmade disasters, such as industrial incidents and nuclear accidents

• Searching for better employment opportunities
• Construction of dams, irrigation canals, bridges, flyovers and more
 • Working in energy-related projects, power plants, mining activities, oil refineries, etc.
• Working on agricultural projects
• Conservation of wildlife projects, such as wildlife sanctuaries, parks and wildlife
reserves
• Development of ports and harbours

Problems faced by people during the time of resettlement and rehabilitation are as follows:

• Loss of agricultural lands

• Extinction of certain indigenous populations
• Loss of forests and other ecological plants and shrubs
• Poor quality of land
• Water facilities
• Loss of means of livelihood
• Other forms of multiple displacements.

3.8.4 WASTELAND RECLAMATION

Wastelands are created due to the loss of vegetation cover which leads to the loss of soil
through erosion. Soil degradation and loss of fertility of soil are the major problems faced by
the country today. Due to the loss of soil fertility, there is a major portion of cultivable land
has gone to waste. It is necessary to safeguard the land because if it is not checked on time,
it will also affect the remaining areas of land. If the problem continues, then it will lead to a
major shortage of food grains, fruits, vegetables, fodder for animals and wood. Therefore, it
is necessary to conserve soil and protect the existing land by reclaiming the depleted
wastelands for a better future. The reclamation and development of wasteland have the
following important objectives:

• For improving the quality and physical structure of the soil.

• For improving the quality of water
• For preventing landslides, flooding and the shifting of soil
• For working on methods for sustaining the land and conserving the biological
resources of the land.
It is necessary to manage the wasteland reclamation programs effectively so that the land
does not revert to its original poor condition. One needs to do a proper study of the
environmental aspects before deciding on a method for the development and reclamation
of wastelands.

The wasteland can be classified into the following three categories:

• Reclaimed easily
• Reclaimed with little difficulty
• Reclaimable with a lot of difficulties

The wastelands which are easily reclaimable can be used for agriculture. The land which can
be reclaimed with little difficulty can be used for agroforestry. The wastelands that are
reclaimed with a lot of difficulties can be used for creating natural ecosystems or can also be
used for forestry.

The agricultural wastelands can be reclaimed, and their fertility can be restored by reducing
the salt content. It can be done with the help of flushing and by the process of leaching. In
these areas, the crops are grown, and compost, urea, gypsum and potash are added to
them. In agroforestry, the land is put through several uses by the planting of crops and
trees. It is an integration of the agricultural system by planting the trees with the crops and
also by managing the livestock. For the forest, the seedlings for the trees are planted in the
soil that contains the original soil with manure and gypsum for the better growth of those
trees. It is seen that the Earth is covered with more than 30% of forests and these forests
act as reserves for biodiversity. They also help in bringing down the level of pollution from
the environment.

3.9 SUMMARY

Water is a valuable and expensive resource. Its availability is limited on the Earth and it is
distributed unevenly. Water resources are used by human beings for many purposes, such
as drinking, cooking, agriculture, and power generation. The continuous growth of
population, increasing demand for agriculture, and industrialization have created a demand
for more water which is the major cause of the shortage of water. People are making efforts
to collect water by building reservoirs and dams and creating wells, water harvesting, and
other groundwater structures. It is necessary for individuals, governments, society and
industries to find ways to reduce water consumption. We need to seriously look into the
excessive consumption of water and find ways and methods to use it more wisely. It is
important to control the level of pollution in freshwater by controlling the excessive usage
of pesticides and chemicals being dumped into freshwater

Getting fresh and clean water has become difficult, which is why, people should be
educated and encouraged concerning storing, reusing, and recycling water. It is said that at
least 83% of water is used for irrigation purposes in India. Therefore, it is necessary to find
methods of conserving water from rainfall which is a source of fresh water so that it is
possible to harvest it. The method of rain harvesting is becoming very popular, especially in
urban areas. Due to the construction of houses and roads in the urban areas, very little land
is left for the water to collect and soak. In the rural areas, most of the excess water flows
into the rivers and eventually dry up over some time. One must look for ways to hold back
the water when the rain stops where it can be stored in the ground and work at recharging
the supply of groundwater.

A Watershed is an area where there is a flow of water into a storage system or other forms
of water bodies, such as streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. The place, from where the
surface water flows into the water body, is referred to as a watershed or drainage basin.
The quality and quantity of water are affected by the changes inland due to the process of
agriculture, construction, mining, and other forms of activities. Using the right technology
and effective planning while taking care of soil erosion, the rainwater can be controlled to
move down the slopes slowly by ensuring optimum infiltration and percolation along with
solving the issue of the pollutants. The process starts from the highest point on the
watershed and goes down into the lower parts while taking care of the impact of rain on the
soil, creating the contours to remove the excess pressure and checking the speed at
different intervals. Watersheds make good use of the soil and water resources by supplying
fresh and clean water along with controlling any form of damage due to overflow

It is an accepted fact that for the last fifty years, the process of global warming is mainly due
to human activities which have resulted in releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
One of the most important features of the changing environment is the process of
degradation that is affecting human beings and the animal kingdom globally. People are
trying to find answers and raising issues on what should be done for combating the problem
of environmental degradation. The urban areas today can boast of having fifty per cent of
the world population living in urban towns, which are taking a steady stride in most of the
developing countries.

The increased levels of energy are trapped in the atmosphere which affects the earth and is
not dispersed into space. The trapping of the Earth’s energy by the atmosphere results in
the greenhouse effect with an increase in the temperature leading to climatic changes. The
result of global warming has had its impact on the earth which has led to the melting of
glaciers, droughts, rising sea levels, and heavy rainstorms. The changes in the environment
due to human activities have led to the trapping of atmospheric gases of burning fossil fuels
which have led to an increase in the temperatures.

Acid rain is formed when the rain comes into contact with pollutants in the air, like carbon
dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Acid rain or acid deposition is a form of
precipitation that contains acidic content of nitric acid or sulphuric acid and they fall on the
surface of the earth in a wet form. The presence of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide is
there in the atmosphere due to the burning of burning fossil fuels, which adds more of
these chemicals to the air.

The depletion in the ozone layer is happening due to the release of different chemicals
containing chlorofluorocarbons and other forms of gases that enter the stratosphere after
being emitted and destroy the ozone layer. Due to the number of human activities and
industrial pollution, there is an increase in the amount of ozone in the troposphere, and the
amount of ozone in the stratosphere is decreasing where it is needed. The main reason for
the breakdown of the ozone layer is due to chlorofluorocarbons. There are other conditions
of earthquakes, tsunami, nuclear disasters and more which have affected the environment
in a major way.
3.10 KEYWORDS

• Scarcity of water: It is a situation where the availability of drinking water is less

compared to its demand.
• Water conservation: It is a method used for saving and recycling water for later use.
• Rainwater harvesting: It refers to collecting the rainwater on the roofs of the
buildings and thereafter, storing it under the ground for being used later.
• Watershed management: It is a method that is used for protecting the degeneration
of land. It is also an interlinked process for getting the maximum production out of
the land.
• Gully plugs: It refers to a small water body structure in the form of dams for
reducing the speed of water flow and collecting the water.
• Deposition: It refers to the pollutants in the air that generate due to the burning of
fossil fuels. When the pollutants travel to a certain distance and fall on the ground in
the form of rain or dust is called deposition.
• Acid Rain: It is a form of precipitation that contains acidic content of nitric acid or
sulphuric acid.
• Holocaust: It is a form of destructive nuclear energy in the form of bombs or gas that
wipes out the cities by killing people.
• Ozone: It is a form of gas in the stratosphere that protects the earth from ultraviolet
radiation.
• Wasteland: They are created due to the degradation of land and loss of fertility of
the soil.
Unit 4: Environmental Legislation & Environment Protection Acts

Objectives

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

• Explain the meaning of environmental legislation

• Discuss the Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1981
• Describe the major highlights of the Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act
• Describe the Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974
• Describe the Environment Protection Act, 1986
• Discuss the objectives of the Environment Protection Act and major highlights of the
Environment Protection Act
• Discuss the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• Elucidate the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

Structure

4.1 Meaning of Environmental Legislation

4.1.1 Importance of Environmental Legislation.
4.1.2 Objectives of Environmental Legislation
4.2 Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act,1981
4.2.1 Objectives of Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act
4.2.2 Major Highlights of Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act
4.3 Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act,1974
4.3.1 Objectives of Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act
4.3.2 Major Highlights of Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act
4.4 Environment Protection Act,1986
4.4.1 Objectives of Environment Protection Act
4.4.2 Major Highlights of Environment Protection Act
4.5 Wildlife Protection Act,1972
4.5.1 Objectives of Wildlife Protection Act
4.6 Forest Protection Act,1980
4.6.1 Objectives of Forest Conservation Act
4.6.2 Major Highlights of Forest Conservation Act
4.7 National Green Tribunal Act,2010
4.7.1 Objectives of The National Green Tribunal Act
4.7.2 Major Highlights of National Green Tribunal Act
4.8 Understanding Environmental Ethics
4.8.1 Meaning of Environmental Ethics
4.8.2 Need And Importance of Environmental Ethics
4.8.3 Environmental Ethics In India
4.9 Summary
4.10 Key Words

4.1 MEANING OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

Environmental legislation is a set of laws that are needed for protecting the environment
and creating a healthy place for the people to live in. Environmental legislation is needed for
taking care of the environment and preventing its misuse. Also, it protects the environment
from harmful pollutants. It helps in preventing over-exploitation of natural resources,
destructive methods of pollution, use of chemicals and hazardous substances,
deforestation, poaching, and so many other issues which impact the environment and
creates unhealthy situations. To protect the environment from illegal practices, urbanization
and the growing population require environmental laws and regulations for safeguarding
the environment.

Environmental legislation is needed for addressing and protecting the natural environment,
wildlife, forests, lakes, and rivers. Even the constitution of India has emphasized the need
for conserving the environment and protecting natural resources.

Environmental legislation is needed for protecting the environment in the following

manner:
 • Improving the quality of water: Environmental laws are needed to handle problems
like treating surface water run-off and wastewater along with laws for determining
the pollution of water and water management.

• Proper waste management: All kinds of wastes, such as bio-medical waste,

municipal waste is hazardous. Therefore, it is important to manage waste.

• Cleaning of contaminant: Effective measures and policies for handling levels of

pollution and cleaning of contaminants are needed. Also, regulations and effective
penalties and punishment should be determined for protecting the environment
from pollution.

• Regulation for managing chemicals: Effective methods and safety regulations are
needed regarding hazardous substances and chemicals, such as pesticides, oil spills,
or other kinds of substances.

• Prohibition on poaching, hunting, and fishing: Environmental laws may regulate and
protect the wildlife population. The government regulates poaching and hunting
through the licensing policy.

4.1.1 Importance of environmental legislation.

The importance of environmental legislation is needed for protecting the environment from
being exploited and for ensuring that it is well conserved for all living beings. The laws for
the environment provide a guideline for creating environmental awareness and policies and
ensure that humans do not degrade the environment. Environmental legislation requires
safeguarding the environment and conserve it for the future. Various public organizations
take care of the environment and facilities to implement the rules that ensure the
conservation of the environment. Environmental laws ensure the rules related to the
environment are obeyed and fix punishment for those who disobey the laws and harm the
environment.

Many countries have formed their laws and regulations to address the environmental issues
and protect the environment along with balance human development with environmental
conservation. There are several environmental issues and concerns regarding the protection
of forests, animals, and wildlife, prevent global climate changes, and provide aid for various
environmental development programs

The importance of environmental laws are as follows:

• Protecting the environment and human health: Environmental pollution hurts the
health of people. The important function of environmental legislation is taking care
of the environment and the protection of human health. There should be strict
penalties and punishments for polluting the environment with harmful pesticides
and chemicals.

• Effective waste management: It is necessary to establish effective and environment-

friendly waste management methods. Waste management helps in protecting the
environment. Environmental legislation is needed to ensure that waste is managed
effectively, and does not harm the environment. A set of methods and procedures
are required for the disposal of wastes.

• Regulations for manufacturing industries: The environmental laws set the

regulations and standards that monitor industries and factories so that they meet all
the regulations that are needed for conserving the environment. Industrial pollution
and waste from factories should be checked and controlled through the effective
implementation of laws for protecting the environment and ensure that the
industries obey these laws.

• Protection of the environmental officers: The countries must protect the

environmental officers so that they can execute their work effectively. They should
have the power and authority to work without any interference from the people and
implement certain regulations whenever required.

4.1.2 Objectives of environmental legislation

The objective of environmental legislation is to protect the environment from pollution and
preserve it for the future. Environmental legislation consists of various regulations and laws
that are needed to regulate the environment with the interaction of human beings in their
natural and clean surroundings. Environmental legislations are required for controlling the
level of pollution and degradation of land. There are several national and international
policies and laws that are part of the conventions, treaties, and regulations. The
manufacturing and production companies need to comply with the environmental
regulations for meeting the legal obligations which need to be followed for protecting the
environment.

The objectives of environmental legislation and laws are as follows:

• To protect and improve the conditions of the environment

• To ensure the decisions are followed which were taken at the United Nations
conference in Stockholm

• To work with different organizations and agencies for implementing the

environmental regulations

• To determine the laws and regulations in various categories of pollution and

hazardous substances

• To define penalties and punishment for all who are responsible for endangering the
environment in terms of health and safety

• To provide an effective legislative procedure for protecting coastal areas,

ecologically sensitive places and regulating the hazardous substances

• To monitor the compliance of laws

• To ensure that the Government has the total power and authority for protecting and
improving the quality of the environment

• To determine the methods of working with local, national, and international

agencies and organizations for various environment-related issues

• To establish and formulate new regulations and standards for preventing and
controlling pollution

• To facilitate the protection and special powers to the officers and the authority for
defining the laws and policies for the protection of the environment.
4.2 Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act,1981

Industries and factories have added a lot to the pollution in the atmosphere, and it has led
to the deterioration of the quality of air. Many people are losing their health and life due to
heavy air pollution especially in cities.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the capital city of New Delhi is one of
the top ten most polluted cities in the world. Surveys indicate that in New Delhi the
incidence of respiratory diseases due to air pollution is about 12 times the national average.

In 1972, India participated in the conference at the United Nations held in Stockholm, which
was on the Human Environment, where important decisions were taken regarding adopting
appropriate steps for the preservation of the natural resources of the earth. The decisions
were determining the methods for controlling air pollution and the preservation of the
quality of air. In India, the Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1981 was introduced
thereafter. The main objective of the Act was preventing, controlling, and reducing the
levels of air pollution. A pollution control board was appointed with the idea of carrying out
the responsibilities and work for implementing the Act. The main sources of air pollution,
such as industry, vehicles, factories, power plants, and more are not permitted to release
certain levels of pollution. These sources of air pollution contain particulates of sulfur
dioxide, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds, or other forms
of hazardous and toxic substances, which are beyond a certain standard or prescribed level.

4.2.1 Objectives of air prevention & control of pollution Act

The Central Pollution Control Board is the main working authority for the Air Prevention &
Control of Pollution Act, 1981. The important functions of the Central Board are to
implement the policies, legislation, and laws for improving the quality of air and protecting
the environment by controlling the level of air pollution in the country. The responsibility of
the board is to advise the Central Government on situations related to the quality of air. The
Central Board also provides technical help and assistance to the State Board. It
communicates and distributes all the required information concerning the pollution of air
and performs the responsibility as is mentioned in the Act.
States have the State Board which has the authority and power to provide advice to the
State Government regarding any concerns related to environment protection. They have the
power to give orders regarding monitoring and controlling pollution. They have the power
to check and inspect the companies for their manufacturing process, pollution control
equipment, and the industrial plant at any time. The board has strict regulations and
standards for the different industries and plants as per their levels, compositions, and
quality of emissions of pollutants in the atmosphere.

The important provisions under the Act are as follows:

• The State Board establisher a combined approach for countering problems of the
environment. The Air Pollution Act has defined the power and authority of the
Central and State Board. According to the Act, various industries that are operating
within certain areas of air pollution control need to obtain a permit from the State
Board

• The State Government after consulting with the State Board prescribes emission
standards for the automobiles and industry along with making a note of its required
standards of air quality

• The State Board has the power for ensuring compliance with the Act which includes
the power of entry to the premises and for checking and testing of equipment

• The State Board has the power to take the samples to check in the laboratory the
pollution of air or emission from any chimney. It could be any form of dust or fly ash
or any form of pollutant to be checked in a manner that has been prescribed

• In the earlier Acts, the Air Act was enforced and the penalties on violations were
handled through small courts. The amendment of the Act in 1987 has given it more
strength and brought in stiffer penalties for the enforcement machinery

• The State Board has the power to shut down a defaulting industrial plant and they
can also stop its supply of electricity or water

• The amendment of the Act in 1987 has brought in the provision for the citizens in
the Air Act and Act also includes noise pollution
 • The State Board can also apply to the court to restrain industries from emissions that
exceed the prescribed limits

4.2.2 Major highlights of air prevention & control of pollution Act

The Air Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1981 is comprehensive legislation with more
than fifty sections. It has been included for establishing the provisions for the Central and
State Board and given them the power to declare pollution control areas. The Board has the
power to check the industrial units at any time for controlling the levels of pollution. They
can take samples from industrial units and in case any industrial unit has violated the norms,
then penalties are imposed on that unit.

The State Governments are empowered by the Act to emphasize the areas of air pollution
and to advise the type of fuel to be used in these designated places. According to this Act,
there are some industries, such as petroleum, cement, fertilizers, asbestos, etc., that cannot
be established without the permission of the State Board. The State Government has set up
the Pollution Control Board to measure the level of pollution in the atmosphere and
determine certain methods for testing the quality of air. The main objective of the Pollution
Control Board is to:

• Effectively control and prevent air pollution

• Guide State Government for implementing the Act rightfully

• Confer the power to the member of the Board for effectively implementing the
provisions of the Act and assign the responsibility to Board members to check the
level of pollution.

The quality of air is more affected in areas that have a greater number of industries and a
large population. The Pollution Control Board monitors the levels of pollution and sets
standards that check the pollutants and industrial discharge in every state. If the emission is
beyond a certain limit of the standards laid down by the State Board, then industries are
penalized. The Board has the power to write to the court from restraining persons causing
air pollution. The penalty of ten thousand rupees or imprisonment for three months is the
punishment for not adhering to the Act. Sometimes, it can be both which depends on the
kind of offense. If the offense is not stopped, then the fine gets extended by 5,000 for each
day.

4.3 Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act,1974

The Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 is a comprehensive set of legislation
that manages the Board for checking on various aspects of water pollution. The Boards for
pollution control are at the Centre and the respective States. The Government initiated the
Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 for preventing and controlling water
pollution in India.

The Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 defines the function of the respective
State Board for taking care of and preventing water pollution. Each State Board is
empowered to formulate plans and programs for the prevention, control of pollution of
streams, rivers, and wells. The State Board has the authority to collect and communicate
information relating to water pollution and conduct investigations and research regarding
problems of water pollution and finding methods for preventing them.

The State Water Board has the power and authority to check and inspect the industries and
factories, works, and plants regarding the sewage or industrial wastes for the treatment of
wastes and various treatments of wastes and trade effluents and to monitor different water
purification plants. The Board can determine the laboratory or laboratories for checking the
sample anytime and for enabling the Board to perform its functions under this section
effectively. The Board can collect the samples of water from any stream or well or of
samples of any sewage or trade effluents and end them to the laboratory for being checked
for the levels of pollution.

4.3.1 Objectives of Water prevention & control of pollution act

The Central Board advises the Central Government and State Governments on various
matters that are needed for the prevention and control of water pollution.

It helps in providing technical assistance and guides various activities with various Boards
and agencies. The Board can restrict any industry or company and take samples of the
effluents at any time and these samples checked in the State or Centre’s laboratories. If they
fail to meet the set standards, then they are liable for punishment and penalties. The Act
sets the standards and penalties for non-compliance for polluting bodies.

The water is distinguished under various classes depending on the level of water pollution
following the Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 which are mentioned
below:

• Class A: Drinking water without any kind of treatment found at source after
disinfection

• Class B: Water which can be used for outdoor bathing

• Class C: Any source of drinking water that has been treated conventionally

• Class D: Water which is designated and used for propagation of wildlife and fisheries

• Class E: Water which is used for industrial and irrigation purposes along with waste
disposal

The main objectives of the Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 are:

• To establish Pollution Control Board under the Act which has the responsibility of
implementing various provisions.

• To regulate the Central Board to advise the Government on matters concerning the
prevention and control of water pollution

• To help the Central Board to coordinate the State Boards and to resolve any form of
disputes between them

• To determine strict penalties for the discharge of sewage or pollutants into water
bodies which include various, streams, lakes, rivers, or wells

• To maintain and restore aquatic resources

 • To ensure that the companies or industries who fail to abide by the laws as
mentioned in the Act are liable for imprisonment which could be for more than a
year, going up to six years along with monetary fines

• To facilitate the Central Board for acting like a guide for the State Board and give
them technical advice on various researches regarding the problems concerned with
pollution of water

• To encourage the prevention and control of water pollution by organizing various

forms of training programs for the people

• To collect and communicate information based on technical and statistical data

• To help Board in preparing the guides, manuals, and codes relating to treatment and
disposal of sewage and trade effluents and communicate information connected
with the process

• To facilitate Board to specify, modify or annul standards required for the rivers,
streams, or wells in consultation with the State Government.

• To do planning for executing programs nationally for the prevention and control of
water pollution

• To help Board to perform other functions as mentioned in the Water Act, 1974.

4.3.2 Major highlights of Water prevention & control of pollution Act

The Water Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1974 has been formulated by the
Government of India for preventing and controlling water pollution by the households,
industries, and agriculture that can contaminate our water sources. The high level of
pollutants and the wastewater which flows into the lakes, rivers, streams, and wells can
result in major health hazards. There are various methods of controlling the levels of
pollution by monitoring and controlling the point sources of different pollutants and by
punishing the polluter.
People must take different steps in reducing the level of water pollution by reducing the use
of pesticides, by using biodegradable chemicals for use in households, and by effectively
identifying the sources of pollution at workplaces and in industrial units.

The Central Governments and State Governments have set up methods for monitoring
water pollution, and to assess pollution levels, and punish offensive polluters.

The Board is empowered in the following manner to take action:

• Government organizations or non-Government organizations to take the permission

of the State Board for the discharge of sewage.

• Board is empowered to take emergency measures regarding discharging any

poisonous or hazardous substance for polluting the water.

• Board has the power to penalize the offenders and issue fines for preventing and
controlling pollution.

4.4 Environment Protection Act,1986

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 is a complete set of legislation which is made for
providing a framework by the Government for coordinating different activities of various
Central and State Boards and agencies defined in the previous Acts, such as the Water Act
and the Air Act for taking care of the environment. One of the worst disasters in history was
the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India. It was an eye-opener for the Government to formulate
stronger policies, laws, norms, and acts for ensuring that these terrible incidents do not
happen again in India. The Government of India formulated the Environment Protection Act,
1986 for the protection and conservation of the environment.

The Act was mainly formulated after the impact of the Bhopal gas tragedy and for the
decisions made by India at the United Nations Conference in Stockholm in 1972 on Human
Environment. 122 nations took part in the conference that passed the Stockholm
Declaration. The declaration consisted of 26 principles that focused on the development of
the environment, and the importance of human activities in the environment. The main
objective of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 is to improve and protect the human
environment. The Act lays down the important activities that are needed to prevent hazards
from happening and causing damage to ecology and biodiversity.

In this Act, the focus has been given to the environment which includes water, air, and land.
It emphasizes the inter-relationship which is there between water, air and land, and all the
living beings. Environmental pollution relates to the presence of pollutants in water or air in
the form of solid, liquid, or gas which could be present in them leading further to harming
the environment. The hazardous and toxic substances can include any substance which may
cause harm to human beings, animals, plants, property, or the environment. In India, the
Environment Protection Act has defined certain areas which are considered restricted areas
due to the ecological sensitivity, such as Doon Valley in Uttarakhand, the Aravalli Regions in
Rajasthan, and various coastal zones.

4.4.1 Objectives of environment protection act

The Environment Protection Act provides the power to the Central Government for taking
reasonable and valid steps for the protection and improvement of the quality of the
environment. It defines the standards for the quality as per the standards of the
environment, which are taken for the prevention, control, and abatement of environmental
pollution. There are restrictions to be applied in any of the industries, processes for the
prevention, controlling, and abatement of environmental pollution. The Government has
the responsibility of defining the procedures for safeguarding the environment and the
prevention of inevitable accidents which may result in more environmental pollution.

Both the Central and State Boards have the power and authority to inspect different
premises, equipment, material, and substances for the prevention and control of
environmental pollution. The Central Government has the powers designated by the Act by
which they can issue the directions in writing to any of the persons or any officer and they
are bound to comply with these given directions. The direction could be in terms of closure,
prohibition, or the regulation of any industry due to its operational process or it could be
the stoppage or regulation of the supply of electricity and many other forms of services.

The main objectives of the Environment Protection Act are as follows:

 • To protect and improve the quality of air, water, and the environment

• To establish the procedures for preventing and controlling environmental pollution

to prevent hazards to all living beings.

• To empower the Government to safeguard the environment and to define

procedures for the prevention of accidents that cause pollution and other remedial
measures

• To plan and implement programs nationally for the prevention, control, and
abatement of environmental pollution

• To empower the Government with the authority to stop, close, and regulate the
operations of any industry for acts of violation of the standards

• To define various standards needed for improving the quality of the environment

• To empower the Central and State Board officials to inspect the site and collect
samples of air, water, soil, or other material for testing at any time

• To establish procedures for the handling of hazardous substances which are likely to
cause environmental pollution

• To define the restriction of areas in which industry, operations, or processes shall

not be carried out for safeguarding the environment

• To ensure the preparation of manuals, codes or guides, concerning the prevention,

control, and abatement of environmental pollution.

4.4.2 Major highlights of environment protection Act

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 came into force and was extended to the whole
country. The Act consists of four Chapters with 26 Sections that pertain to the roles and
responsibilities of different Governments, Boards, and agencies. The first chapter pertains to
the title of the Act, the definition of the terms that pertain to the Act, jurisdiction, and
extends when the Act has been enacted.
The second chapter emphasizes the power that resides with the Central Government about
the Act. The other chapters refer to the activities and various preventive measures that the
Central Government can take to protect the environment. The Central Government has the
power and authority to appoint officials for ensuring that various tasks of the Environment
Protection Act, 1986 are carried out in the right manner

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 defines the power of the Central Government to act
or give direction for the process of closure of an establishment that violates the rules and
guidelines of the Act. The Act emphasizes the prohibition and regulation industries and
many other activities that need to be followed for ensuring that it protects the environment.
The Central Government has the power and authority to formulate rules and regulations for
administering environmental pollution. The Environment Protection Act, 1986 includes
penalties if there is a violation of any aspect of the Act. The people or industries that fail to
comply with the provision of the act would be punished with imprisonment for a term of
five years or a fine up to one lakh rupees or both. Apart from this, there can be an additional
fine of five thousand rupees per day imposed for the entire period of rule violation.

4.5 Wildlife Protection Act,1972

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was passed on August 21, 1972, but it got implemented on
9th September 1972. After the Stockholm convention on Environment, the Government of
India responded by formulating an Act for the protection of wildlife which referred to the
terrestrial and aquatic animals and their habitats. Earlier, there was a law for animals called
the Wild Birds and Animals Protection Act, 1935. Under this law, there were different
policies for every state and each State Government had a different policy in dealing with the
Act. There was no proper regulation and, as a result, there was major exploitation of forests
and wild animals. As a result, the number of wildlife species started to go down along with a
lot of deforestation.

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was passed by the Government for the protection of wild
animals, birds, and plants and matters connected to the ecological and environmental
security of the country. It extends to the whole of India except for the state of Jammu and
Kashmir*. The Act constitutes a National Board for Wildlife whose chairperson is the Prime
Minister.

The National Board has the responsibility of promoting the conservation and development
of wildlife and forests. The Act includes the formation of a State Board for the protection of
Wildlife along with advising the State Government in matters concerned with the protection
of wildlife. The Act prohibits and regulates the hunting of wild animals and defines the
protection of specified plants. It also empowers the State Government with extra
responsibilities of handling and taking care of the Sanctuaries, National Parks, and Game
Reserves. The Board has set up a National Tiger Conservation Authority which is concerned
with prohibition and laws for regulating the trading in wild animals, parts of the animals,
and using them as trophies.

4.5.1 Objectives of Wildlife protection Act

Various National Parks and Tiger Reserves are areas prohibited by law which is strictly
protected, and no human activity is allowed for the interest of wildlife conservation. The
Wildlife Protect Act does not allow any form of exploitation of the animals and the forest
produce in both national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. The decline of wild animals and
birds in India has been a cause of major concern. There needs to be an improvement in the
protected areas of sanctuaries and national parks for the wild animals to live peacefully.
There are many wild animals and birds which have already become extinct in the country
and many others are also in danger of losing their habitats.

The main objectives of the Wildlife Protection Act are as follows:

• The Act protects wild animals, birds, and plants and ensures the ecological and
environmental security of India

• The Act consists of laws that prohibit the hunting of wild animals, and the use of
animal traps except under certain circumstances

• The Act provides for the protection of hunting rights of the Scheduled Tribes in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• The Act has regulations for the security of animals that are in danger of becoming
extinct

• The Act provides for the license to people for the animals which can be hunted like
the deer and the ducks

• The Act provides for the license to hunters who can shoot during a specific season in
restricted areas. If there are any infringements, these can lead to the cancellation of
their license

• The Act provides for setting up more animal-protected parks and helps for the
cultivation of plants

• The Act provides for the Convention on International Trade in endangered species of
Wild Fauna and Flora

• The Act empowers the officials for enforcing the regulations and laws and to punish
people if found guilty

• It gives power to the Central and State Boards to create areas for sanctuaries and
national park

• The Act defines the terminology of wildlife and provides for the appointment of the
Wildlife Advisory Board

• The Board provides guidelines for framing policies and advising Central and State
Governments on the promotion of wildlife and suggesting measures for
improvement of wildlife conservation

• The Act includes laws for restricting illegal trading and poaching of wild animals

• The Board has the responsibilities of setting up and managing national parks,
sanctuaries, and other protected areas

• The Act provides for regulations and constitution needed for the Central Zoo
Authority

• The Act also provides for the setting up of the National Tiger Conservation Authority
 • The Act establishes different provisions related to trade and penalties for hunting
the animals in the wild

The fast decline of wild animals and birds in India has been a cause of major concern where
some of the wild animals and birds have started to become extinct. Due to heavy poaching
and hunting of animals, certain areas which were once the habitat for the wildlife have
slowly become sparse and devoid and even the wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks have
not been managed well. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

contains many regulations, laws, and procedures for dealing with legal rights in these
protected areas. There are provisions for procedures for the appointment of the Central and
State wildlife authorities and Wildlife Board for managing and protecting animals, plants,
and wildlife. The Act provides laws for the regulation of the trade of wildlife products and
ensures the prevention, detection, and punishment in case of violations of the Wildlife
Protection Act. The legal offenders would be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted
according to the laws of offenses in the court of law by the authorized officers of the forest
department and the legal systems.

The community reserves and conservation reserves are the types of protected areas
mentioned in the Wildlife Protection Act.

These two categories provide an important role for the local communities, and the
opportunity to protect different areas of conservation. The Act prohibits the destruction or
diversion of wildlife from its habitat by any method unless it is for improvement or its
betterment. These decisions are taken by the State Government in consultation with the
National and State Boards for wildlife.

The important points related to Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 are as follows:

• This Act helps prohibit injuring the animals and destroying any part of a wild animal’s
body for selling purposes.

• This Act forbids damaging and disturbing of wild birds and reptiles, and their eggs.
 • This Act prohibits the preservation of dead animals in the form of trophies or making
rugs from their skin and hair, preserving their skins, nails, teeth, horns, eggs, and
more, which is referred to as taxidermy.

• This Act does not allow anyone to hunt birds, reptiles, fish, insects, or any other
animals from their habitat without a legal license or from within the protected areas.

• This Act imposes penalties for the offenders on conviction. The violations of the
regulation entail imprisonment for a period of three to seven years with a fine of
10,000 rupees.

4.6 Forest Protection Act,1980

The Indian Forest Act, 1927 is comprehensive legislation that was needed in the country,
and it helps improve the previous laws regarding forests that existed during the earlier
years. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was established which authorized the Central and
State Boards for identifying the areas for Reserved Forests and the protected areas.

There were certain areas of forests that were put under the control of the village
community, and these were referred to as the village forests. The Forest Conservation Act
extends to the whole of India except for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Act emphasized the laws and regulations needed for protecting the forests from
deforestation and formulate policies for cutting down trees and their utilization in a limited
manner. The main objective was to protect forests along with their ecological conditions by
preserving them for their biological diversity and other forms of genetic resources. The Act
regulates the use of forest products for commercial use and encourages forests’
developmental activities, like social forestry, agroforestry, and more for its conservation.

4.6.1 Objectives of forest conservation Act

The decline of the forests in India has been a cause of major concern since the forest cover
is disappearing at a very rapid pace. There need to be improvements in the protected areas
by restricting the use of forest land for commercial purposes without a proper regulation
process. The forests help in maintaining the ecological balance of the environment and also
serve as a habitat for many wild animals and birds which have already become extinct in the
country and many others are also in danger of losing their habitats. The Forest Conservation
Act, 1980 is comprehensive legislation with laws for the protection of the forests and the
conservation of natural wealth and resources of the forests which are beneficial to both the
ecosystems and human beings. It specifies uniform legislation across the country for the
planning and maintaining of forest areas and protects forest land and by categorizing the
protected land with proper usage of the forest areas.

The objectives of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 are as follows:

• The Act has certain restrictions on the power of the State Government regarding the
preservation of forests or using the forest land for other purposes

• The Act defines the roles of the Central Government and the State Government. The
State Government cannot make amendments on the provisions of the Act without
the prior approval of the Central Government

• The Act has laid regulations on assigning the forest land or any portion for lease to
any private person or private organization.

• The Act contains strict laws and regulations that emphasize on cutting down of trees
or clearing the land of forests that have grown naturally in that land to use them for
reforestation

• The Act emphasizes providing for the constitution of the advisory committee to
advise the Government about the conservation of the forests

• The Act has strict regulation for any kind of ongoing activities in the forest which do
not benefit the forest in any state within the country without the prior approval of
the Centre

• The Act has defined that the violation of any Act is punishable, and the offender can
be imprisoned for a period extending to 15 days.

• The Act also has laws for the Government departments or any agency which is guilty
of any offense and shall be liable to be punished accordingly
 • A forest consists of renewable natural sources and should be looked upon as a
source of revenue

4.6.2 Major highlights of forest conservation Act

The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 was formulated for controlling the process of
deforestation. The forests and trees cannot be cut without the prior approval of the Central
Government. The regulation for this was included in the Act since some states had begun
cutting down the forests and clearing the land from the forests for non-forest use. There
were regular encroachments in the forest areas in these states where there were projects
made for resettlement of affected people because of the construction of dams and bridges
in the forest areas. Therefore, there was an urgent need for laws and regulations, and the
Forest Conservation Act, 1980 provides the laws for prohibiting the clearing of the forest
areas and to retain greater control over the process of deforestation in the country with
specified punishments for the offenders.

The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 also determines the needs of the people in terms of
fodder, fuel-wood, and other forms of forest produce, and by maintaining environmental
stability and ecological balance. It clearly emphasizes the strengthening of the protected
areas and if a person commits the offense of cutting down the trees, setting fire to the
forests, or overgrazing his cattle in the forest areas he is liable to punishment with
imprisonment of three to six months and a fine of 500 or both. The Act provides authority
and power to the forest officials who can arrest any person against whom a reasonable
suspicion arises even without an order from the magistrate or a warrant.

4.7 National Green Tribunal Act,2010

The environment needs effective laws and regulations to protect it from degradation. To
take care of the judicial administration, the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was created
to help in reducing the burden of cases from the higher levels of the judiciary and effectively
handling the issues about the environment. It handles the case for the protection of the
environment, basic rights of the individuals, and protecting the flora and fauna of the
forests, and more. There has been a rise in the complaints related to the environment
because of the causes of deforestation, rehabilitation, overgrazing of cattle, cutting down of
trees for commercial use and other reasons.

The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was formulated for effectively handling cases about
conservation of forests, protection of wildlife, environmental protection, and compensation
for damages to the property due to violating of the environmental laws and regulations. The
members of the tribunal are appointed by the Central Government. It has jurisdiction over
all the civil cases related to the environment in terms of pollution of water, forest
conservation, environment protection, and taking care of ecological biodiversity. India
happens to be the third country in the world after New Zealand and Australia set up a
national tribunal for the environment. The Act specifies that the tribunal should dispose of
the application and the cases within six months of their filing. The tribunal consists of
Chairperson, the Judicial Members, and Expert Members and they are eligible to hold the
office term for five years. The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government in
consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

4.7.1 Objectives of the national green tribunal Act

India needed a special court for its environmental issues and this need was amicably
highlighted by the Supreme Court of India in many judgments. One of these was during the
Oleum Gas Leak case. They ruled that environmental issues need to be well monitored and
they need expert and technical knowledge, and they should have fast disposal of their cases.
These cases need to have special courts with the required expertise and knowledge.
Thereafter, the Government passed the National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995, which
did not get implemented. Then came the National Environment Appellate Authority Act,
1997, which initiated the setting of the National Environment Appellate Authority. This
authority functioned for some time after which it was replaced by the National Green
Tribunal. There were several problems in the functioning of the Authority, including its
limited mandate and key vacancies that the Government did not fill. The Authority was
thereafter replaced by the National Green Tribunal.

The objectives of the National Green Tribunal Act are as follows:

 • The National Green Tribunal Act provides effective and fast disposal of cases that are
concerned with the protection and conservation of the environment.

• The National Green Tribunal Act helps in providing relief and compensation for
damages of property and to the people.

• The National Green Tribunal Act emphasizes a method for a penalty for non-
compliance to the environmental issues with imprisonment for a year to three years
and a fine which can go up to ten crore rupees or both.

• The National Green Tribunal takes care of civil cases consisting of the following seven
laws which are related to the environment:

o The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974

o The Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Cess Act, 1977
o The Forest Conservation Act, 1980
o The Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981
o The Environment Protection Act, 1986
o The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991, and
o The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

The violation of these laws can be taken care of by the National Green Tribunal courts.

4.7.2 Major highlights of national green tribunal act

Environmental pollution is a major concern for the country and the National Green Tribunal
has proved to be beneficial, and it has effectively achieved its objectives. The functions of
the National Green Tribunal Act are to formulate laws and regulations for disposing of cases
based on the environment, natural resources, and conservation of the forests. The National
Green Tribunal does not include any formal structures, but it is bound by a certain
procedure and regulation. It has been created to fulfill certain objectives of which
environmental protection is a significant concern, and the steps of the tribunal have been
effectively used at the right time. It has been a success because of its mechanism for
handling disputes and providing adequate measures with its accuracy in the decisions
regarding the resolution of the disputes.
The National Green Tribunal has played a significant role in environmental regulation, with
the management of waste and passing strict regulations and orders on the issues of
pollution and deforestation. The National Green Tribunal is an effective method for
alternative dispute resolution and offers solutions for the path for environmental
jurisdiction, and it helps in reducing the burden of legal cases in the higher courts on
environmental matters. The National Green Tribunal does not have a formal structure and is
not expensive and has a faster mechanism for solving environmental disputes. It plays an
important role in protecting the environment and prohibiting environment-damaging
activities. The Members and the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal independently
deliver their judgments and do not come under pressure from any end.

The National Green Tribunal Act has perfect regulations for ensuring that the process of
Environment Impact Assessment is followed strictly.

4.8 UNDERSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

The term environmental ethics covers the geographical place where the environment
consists of everything which exists to around us in terms of people and non-human entities.
Ethics has been taken from the Greek word ‘ethos’ which means ‘custom’. Ethics is divided
into three theories which are as follows:

• Deontology ethics: This deals with the righteousness of action whether the action or
behavior is right and appropriate.
• Theology ethics: This is based on the purpose and need of the action and the effect
of the action.
• Ethics of virtue: This deals with the moral character of the person or the human
being.

Environmental ethics is a reflection of the moral values and norms which have an impact on
environmental conditions. Therefore, environmental ethics requires fundamental changes in
the manner people view various aspects of the environment. It is necessary to develop
awareness and educate the youth in today’s world to respect the existence of all living
beings and to conserve the environment.
In the later part of the twentieth-century environmentalist had come up with the modern
philosophy on environmental ethics. The environmental concerns of environmental
degradation, population explosion, the depletion of resources and cutting down of forests
are the major issue that draws the attention towards the environmental problems.
However, many challenges are raised while designing environmental ethics which includes
the inequality in the region, society, and the nations. The challenges further extend to
having access to the resources and procuring the resources for the livelihood of the people.
There are several varied opinions among environmentalists regarding environmental ethics.
Owing to varied opinions various approaches to environmental ethics have evolved. Three
approaches to environmental ethics are based on the following views:

• Libertarian view: This view talks of equal rights to all living in the environment which
includes human beings and non-human entities.
• Ecological view: This view emphasizes the interdependence of the biological and the
non-biological entities within their diversities.
• Conservation view: This view only emphasizes the use of the environment and its
utility that serves the purpose of human beings. It concerns human beings and their
future generations.

As per the British Multidisciplinary Scientific Journal Nature.com, Environmental ethics is a

branch of applied philosophy that studies the conceptual foundations of environmental
values as well as more concrete issues surrounding societal attitudes, actions, and policies
to protect and sustain biodiversity and ecological systems.

4.8.1 Meaning of Environmental Ethics

Environmental ethics defines human beings and other non-human entities, such as animals,
plants, and others as part of the environment. Environmental ethics plays an important role
in establishing moral grounds for social policies aimed at protecting the earth’s environment
and mitigating environmental degradation. Environmental ethics assists in maintaining an
ecological balance between the environment and human beings along with the non-human
entities of plants and animals. It is necessary to follow environmental ethics voluntarily and
use moral values while dealing with important functional aspects of the environment.
The environment can be sustained by positive human behavior while negative human
behavior can damage the environmental conditions. Every living being needs an
environment to live in and it is the responsibility of human beings to protect and respect the
environment. Environmental legislations are required to guide the people with moral
principles needed for guiding, adding value, and preserving the environmental conditions.

Environmental ethics is divided into three branches:

• Anthropocentrism: According to this philosophical theory, human beings have total

control over the environment. They are considered an important entity in the
environment.

• Biocentrism: This theory emphasizes human beings, and also non-human beings are
important aspects of the environment.

• Ecocentrism: This philosophy theory is based on the environment which gives

importance to nature and its values are not human-centered.

According to the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Environmental ethics is the

discipline in philosophy that studies the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the
value and moral status of, the environment and its non-human contents.

The increase in population has increased the consumption of natural resources. Therefore,
this has resulted in the degradation of the environment which is affecting all living beings.

Environmental ethics acts as the guiding light that is formed on scientific understanding of
bringing human values, moral principles, and improved decision making.

4.8.2 Need and Importance of Environmental Ethics

Environmental ethics can be inferred as the philosophical discipline required to protect the
environment taking into consideration the moral and ethical relations human beings have
with the environment. Environmental ethics refers to the ethical process of conserving the
environment. They became a necessity because of the fast-growing population and how the
environment was impacted. Nowadays, environmental awareness is important because of
the negative consequences on the environment that surface with the increase in
urbanization, industrialization, use of pesticides, and growing technology. They aim at
protecting the environment by providing moral motivation and ethical legislation for the
cause of global environmental protection. Environmental ethics is the obligation that human
beings have taken towards the environment to determine their moral and ethical duties.
They involve the decisions that people need to make in regards to the environment and take
into the account ethical relationship between people and the environmental conditions
accompanied by its ecological biodiversity.

Environmental ethics is the most important tool for the conservation of the environment
and sustainable development. Environmental ethics teaches us to be friendly with the
environment for developing a healthy lifestyle. It deals with imparting moral education,
environmental rights, conservation and protection of the environment, and the traditional
knowledge that has been passed to us from our ancestors. Environmental ethics emphasizes
a range of disciplines including environmental law, environmental sociology, eco-theology,
ecological economics, ecology, and environmental geography. Environmental ethics is
required because the changes in the environment have led to several natural disasters that
have been happening in different countries across the globe with severe consequences. The
activities of human beings have resulted in adding to the pollution, desertification, the
extinction of certain animals and birds, deforestation, and more number of the reasons
which add to the impact on the environment.

The global environmental problems are predominantly related to human activities.

Theirperspectivesaffecttheenvironmentandtheothernon-entities of the environment. It is
necessary for human beings and non-human entities to develop a sustainable and clean
environment to sustain their living. Environmental ethics is concerned with moral
obligations that the people need to behave towards the environment wisely and in a more
ecocentric manner. It underscores positive values based on environmental ethics and
people’s perspectives towards the environment. Thus, environmental ethics is also termed
moral philosophy because human actions are concerned with what is morally right and
morally wrong as their actions affect the environment. The important principles of
environmental ethics are as follows:
 • To respect life in all its diversity where every form of life has its intrinsic value
• To show compassion towards the community, protect the rights of the people, and
prevent the environment from the harmful activities
• To form a democratic, sustainable and peaceful society and respect the fundamental
and human rights
• To secure the earth’s elegance and beauty for current and future generations
• To come with imparting values and traditions that support the sustainable
flourishing of humans and the Earth’s ecological diversities.

4.8.3 Environmental Ethics in India

At present, India has several environmental policies and legislations. Framing policies and
legislations require studying and analyzing methods of enhancing and recommending
solutions for their practical realization. The rising concern for ethical norms in all facets of
human activities is not just limited to India, but also all over the globe. The government of
India is quite concerned about environmental pollution and degradation. The government of
India is also playing an important role in environmental conservation and development
issues. The government has brought out environmental laws and legislations for protecting
the environment and protecting nature from all kinds of harmful interventions. The
government is involved in creating awareness among the people of India through various
reforms, policies, conventions, seminars, and many other ways.

It is necessary to maintain environmental ethics by the following norms:

• To limit utilization of natural resources

• To conserve resources for future generations
• To determine the environmental rights of animals
• To create environmental awareness and education
• To conserve traditional value systems
• To circumvent the sacrifice of animals for religious beliefs
• To prevent ecoterrorism
• To utilize eco-friendly products
• To keep the environment clean and healthy
 • To avoid the use of plastics carry bags and plastic items
• To avoid cutting down of trees as much as possible

4.9 Summary

Environmental legislation is a necessity for providing restrictions for protecting the

environment and creating a healthy place for people to live and breathe. Environmental
legislation is a set of laws that are needed for protecting the environment and creating a
healthy place for the people to live in. It helps in preventing over-exploitation of natural
resources, destructive methods of pollution, use of chemicals and hazardous substances,
deforestation, poaching and so many other issues which impact the environment and create
unhealthy situations. The importance of environmental legislation is to ensure that people
take care of the environment for human existence. In 1972, India participated in the
conference at the United Nations, held in Stockholm, which was on the Human
Environment. There were important decisions taken in regards to adopting appropriate
steps for the preservation of the natural resources of the earth. Thereafter, in India, the Air
Prevention & Control of Pollution Act, 1981 was introduced. The Water Prevention &
Control of Pollution Act, 1974 is a comprehensive set of legislation that manages the
agencies and the Board for checking on various aspects of water pollution. The Environment
Protection Act, 1986 is a complete set of legislation which is made for providing a
framework by the Government for coordinating the different activities of various Central
and State Boards and agencies defined in the previous Acts, such as the Water Act and the
Air Act for taking care of the environment. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was passed on
August 21, 1972, but it got implemented on 9th September 1972. Earlier, there was a law
for animals called the Wild Birds and Animals Protection Act, 1935. Under this law, there
were different policies for every state and each State Government had a different policy in
dealing with the Act. The Indian Forest Act, 1927 is comprehensive legislation that was
needed in the country, and it helps improve the previous laws regarding forests which were
during the earlier years. The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 was created to help in
reducing the burden of cases from the higher levels of the judiciary and effectively handling
the issues about the environment.
The effect of environmental awareness started in the 1960s because of the process of
economic expansion, newer technologies, industrialization, and the growth of population.
These changes result in impacting the environment and leading to changes in the living
conditions of the people. This brought in the meaning of ethics when people decide on the
conditions of how they want to live in society and their environment. The degradation of
ecosystems and the changes in the global climate have resulted in bringing moral
obligations with the initiation of environmental ethics into the system. Environmental ethics
outlines the moral responsibilities of human beings and their respect for the environment.
Human activities are the major cause of environmental pollution along with an increase in
population that results in demand for food and shelter, which leads to the utilization of
resources.

Environmental ethics is the philosophy that defines what is right and wrong for maintaining
the ecological balance. All the living things on the planet earth are bound together through
the food web that includes the animals, human beings, plants, aquatic creatures, and other
forms of resources that are interlinked with each other for their survival in the environment.
In the later part of the twentieth century, environmentalists had come up with the modern
philosophy on environmental ethics. The environmental concerns of environmental
degradation, population explosion, the depletion of resources, cutting down of forests are
some major issues that draw attention towards the environmental problems.

Environmental ethics is a branch of ethics that includes the philosophy that studies the
moral relationship of human beings and the environment and its non-human entities. The
philosophy defines human beings as part of the society along with the other non-human
entities of animals and plants. The increase in population has increased the consumption of
natural resources. Moreover, rapid economic growth and industrialization have resulted in
the degradation of the environment which is affecting all living beings. Environmental ethics
acts as the guiding light that is formed on scientific understanding of bringing human values,
moral principles, and improved decision making.

Environmental ethics aims at protecting the environment by providing moral motivation and
ethical legislation for the cause of global environmental protection. In India, it has been
prevalent from the Vedic times and it has been a part of the religion and the Vedic tradition.
The main objective of the Vedic tradition was to live harmoniously within the environment
and nature. The twenty-first century, on the other hand, is growing rapidly with advanced
technology and the dynamic system

of the economy which leads to threats to the environment from its activities. The effect of
global warming, depletion of ozone, cause of acid rain, deforestation, and the major loss to
diversity are some of the issues and problems which are hampering the economic growth of
the nation.

4.10 Key Words

• Environmental legislation: It is a set of laws that are needed for protecting the
environment.
• Wild protection and conservation: These are the methods about protect various
animals and birds living in their habitats in the forest.
• Taxidermy: The process of preserving the body of an animal or its body parts.
• Green Tribunal Act: This is a special court for handling cases related to the
environment.
• Non-compliance: It refers to not following the process or the procedure.
• Ethics of virtue: This deals with the moral character of the person or the human
being,
• Theology ethics: This is based on the purpose, need, and effect of the action.
• Anthropocentrism: This theory states that human beings have total control over the
environment. They are considered an important entity in the environment.
• Biocentrism: This theory emphasizes human beings along with plants and animals as
they are important elements of the environment.
• Ecocentrism: This philosophy theory is based on an environment that gives
importance to nature and its values are not human-centered.