Environment

Environment includes water, air and land and inter-relationship which exist among and between water, air, land and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organisms and property.   

It includes the complex physical, chemical and biological factors surrounding an organism or an ecological community. Such factors act and interact with various species and organism to affect their form, growth and survival. Any unfavourable alteration of this environment is called environmental pollution. Air, water, land, radiation and thermal are the common type of pollution.

There has been substantive decline in Environment quality due to increasing pollution, loss of vegetal cover and biological diversity, excessive concentration of harmful chemicals in the ambient atmosphere and in food chain.

The Environment (Protection) Bill having been passed by both the Houses of Parliament, received the assent of the President on 23rd of May 1986 and it came in the Statue book as The Environment (Protection) Act 1986. 

The main acts for environment protection in India are as follows: –

  1. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980

  2. Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (The Central Pollution Control Board) (CPCB) was constituted under this act.

  3. Atomic Energy Act. 1962

  4. Environmental Protection Act, 1986. (It came into force soon  after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy)

  5. National Environmental Tribunal 1995

  6. National Environmental Appellate Authority Act, 1997.

  7. Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules 1989.

  8. Public Liability Insurance Act (Rules and Amendment), 1992.

  9. Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules,

  10. Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.

  11. Ozone Depleting Substance (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.

  12. Biological Diversity Act 2002.

BAVM Legal team offers guidance to domestic and international clients on India’s comprehensive environmental laws pertaining to recycling, hazardous waste management (by hospitals, clinics, manufacturing industries etc.), water and air pollution, forest and timber regulations, handling of chemicals, etc.

  • The team assists a client with regulatory compliances, enforcement actions and civil litigation in all aspects of    environmental and natural resources law. 

  • We represent businesses of all sizes from companies to sole proprietorships, non-profit organizations, trusts and estates, governmental entities, individuals and trade associations in litigation, regulatory and transactional matters. 

  • We advise and assist in coordinating with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Central Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The team has enriching experience in handling cases with the National Green Tribunal,  High Courts and the Supreme Court of India.