08/04/2017 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT, 1986

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT, 1986

Preamble 1 ­ THE ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT, 1986

THE ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT, 1986

[Act No. 29 of 1986]

[23rd May, 1986]

PREAMBLE

An Act to provide for the protection and improvement of environment and for matters connected
therewith.

WHEREAS decisions were taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held
at Stockholm in June, 1972, in which India participated, to take appropriate steps for the protection
and improvement of human environment;

AND WHEREAS it is considered necessary further to implement the decisions aforesaid in so far as
they relate to the protection and improvement of environment and the prevention of hazards to
human beings, other living creatures, plants and property;

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty­seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:­­

Section 1 ­ Short title, extent and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

(2) It extends to the whole of India.

(3) It shall come into force on such date 1as the Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act
and for different areas.

______________________

1. 19thNovember, 1986, vide G. S. R. 1198(E), dated 12th November, 1986.

Section 2 ­ Definitions

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In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,­­

(a) "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter­relationship which exists among
and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro­
organism and property;

(b) "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be, or lend to be, injurious to environment;

(c) "environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental
pollutant;

(d) "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment,
package, storage transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale,
transfer or the like of such substance;

(e) "hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its chemical
or physico­chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings, other
living creatures, plants, micro­organism, property or the environment;

(f) "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the
affairs of the factory or the premises and includes, in relation to any substance, the person in
possession of the substance;

(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.

______________________

Section 3 ­ Power of Central Government to take measures to protect and improve environment

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Central Government shall have the power to take all
such measures as it deems necessary or expedient for the purpose of protecting and improving the
quality of the environment and preventing, controlling and abating environmental pollution.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of subsection (1), such
measures may include measures with respect to all or any of the following matters, namely :­­

(i) co­ordination of actions by the State Governments, officers and other authorities­­

(a) under this Act, or the rules made thereunder; or

(b) under any other law for the time being in force which is relatable to the objects of this
Act;

(ii) planning and execution of a nation­wide programme for the prevention, control and
abatement of environmental pollution;

(iii) laying down standards for the quality of environment in its various aspects;

(iv) laying down standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various
sources whatsoever:

Provided that different standards for emission or discharge may be laid down under this
clause from different sources having regard to the quality or composition of the emission or
discharge of environmental pollutants from such sources;

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(v) restriction of areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries,
operations or processes shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain
safeguards;

(vi) laying down procedures and safeguards for the prevention of accidents which may cause
environmental pollution and remedial measures for such accidents;

(vii) laying down procedures and safeguards for the handling of hazardous substances;

(viii) examination of such manufacturing processes, materials and substances as are likely to
cause environmental pollution;

(ix) carrying out and sponsoring investigations and research relating to problems of
environmental pollution;

(x) inspection of any premises, plant, equipment, machinery, manufacturing or other processes,
materials or substances and giving, by order, of such directions to such authorises, officers or
persons as it may consider necessary to take steps for the prevention, control and abatement of
environmental pollution;

(xi) establishment or recognition of environmental laboratories and institutes to carry out the
functions entrusted to such environmental laboratories and institutes under this Act;

(xii) collection and dissemination of information in respect of matters relating to environmental

(xiii) preparation of manuals, codes or guides relating to the prevention, control and abatetnent
of environmental pollution;

(xiv) such other matters as the Central Government deems necessary or expedient for the
purpose of securing the effective implementation of the provisions of this Act.

(3) The Central Government may, if it considers it necessary or expedient so to do for the purposes
of this Act, by order, published in (he Official Gazelle, constitute an authority or authorities by such
name or names as may be specified in the order for the purpose of exercising and performing sueh
of the powers and functions (including the power to issue directions under section 5) of the Central
Government under this Act and for taking measures with respect to such of the matters referred to
in subsection (2) as may be mentioned in the order and subject to the supervision and control of
the Central Government and (he provisions of such order, such authority or authorities may
exercise the powers or perform the functions or lake the measures so mentioned in the order as if
such authority or authorities had been empowered by this Act to exercise those powers or perform
those functions or take such measures.

Section 4 ­ Appointment of officers and their powers and functions

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub­section (3) of section 3, the Central Government may
appoint officers with such designations as it thinks fit for the purposes of this Act and may entrust
to them such of the powers and functions under this Act as it may deem fit.

(2) The officers appointed under sub­section (1) shall be subject to the general control and direction
of (he Central Government or, if so directed by that Government, also of the authority or
authorities, if any, constituted under sub­section (3) of section 3 or of any other authority or officer.

Section 5 ­ Power to give directions

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Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law but subject to the provisions of this Act, the
Central Government may, in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under this
Act, issue directions in writing to any person, officer or any authority and such person, officer or
authority shall be bound to comply with such directions.

Explanation.­­For the avoidance of doubts, it is hereby declared that the power to issue
directions under this section includes the power to direct­­

(a) the closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry, operation or process; or

(b) stoppage or regulation of the supply of electricity or water or any other service.

Section 5A ­ Appeal to National Green Tribunal

1[5A. Appeal to National Green Tribunal.­­

Any person aggrieved by any directions issued under section 5, on or after the commencement of
the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, may file an appeal to the National Green Tribunal established
under section 3 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, in accordance with the provisions of that
Act.]

1. Inserted by the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

Section 6 ­ Rules to regulate environmental pollution

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules in respect of all
or any of the matters referred to in section 3.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:­­

(a) the standards of quality of air, water or soil for various areas and purposes;

(b) the maximum allowable limits of concentration of various environmental pollutants

(c) the procedures and safeguards for the handling of hazardous substances;

(d) the prohibition and restrictions on the handling of hazardous substances in different areas;

(e) the prohibition and restrictions on the location of industries and the carrying on of processes
and operations in different areas;

(f) the procedures and safeguards for the prevention of accidents which may cause
environmental pollution and for providing for remedial measures for such accidents.

Section 7 ­ Persons carrying on industry, operation, etc., not to allow emission or discharge of
environmental pollutants in excess of the standards

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No person carrying on any industry, operation or process shall discharge or emit or permit to be
discharged or emitted any environmental pollutant in excess of such standards as may be prescribed.

Section 8 ­ Persons handling hazardous substances to comply with procedural safeguards

No person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in accordance with such
procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be prescribed.

Section 9 ­ Furnishing of information to authorities and agencies in certain cases

(1) Where the discharge of any environmental pollutant in excess of the prescribed standards
occurs or is apprehended to occur due to any accident or other unforeseen act or event, the person
responsible for such discharge and the person in charge of the place at which such discharge occurs
or is apprehended to occur shall he bound to prevent or mitigate the environmental pollution caused
as a result of such discharge and shall also forthwith­­

(a) intimate the fact of such occurrence or apprehension of such occurrence; and

(b) be bound, if called upon, to render all assistance, to such authorities or agencies as may be
prescribed.

(2) On receipt of information with respect to the fact or apprehension of any occurrence of the
nature referred to in sub­section (1), whether through intimation under that sub­section or
otherwise, the authorities or agencies referred to in sub­section (1) shall, as early as practicable,
cause such remedial measures to be taken as are necessary to prevent or mitigate the
environmental pollution.

(3) The expenses, if any, incurred by any authority or agency with respect to the remedial
measures referred to in sub­section (2), together with interest (at such reasonable rate as the
Government may, by order, fix) from the date when a demand for the expenses is made until it is
paid, may be recovered by such authority or agency from the person concerned as arrears of land
revenue or of public demand.

Section 10 ­ Powers of entry and inspection

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any person empowered by (he Central Government in
this behalf shall have a right to enier, at all reasonable limes with such assistance as he considers
necessary, any place­­

(a) for the purpose of performing any of the functions of the Central Government entrusted to
him;

(b) for the purpose of determining whether and if so in what manner, any such functions are to
be performed or whether any provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder or any notice,
order, direction or authorisation served, made, given or granted under this Act is being or has
been complied with;

(c) for the purpose of examining and testing any equipment, industrial plant, record, register,
document or any other material object or for conducting a search of any building in which he
has reason to believe that an offence under this Act or the rules made thereunder has been or is
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being or is about to be committed and for seizing any such equipment, industrial plant, record,
register, document or other material object if he has reasons to believe that it may furnish
evidence of the commission of an offence punishable under this Act or the rules made
thereunder or that such seizure is necessary to prevent or mitigate environmental pollution.

(2) Every person carrying on any industry, operation or process or handling any hazardous
substance shall be bound to render all assistance to the person empowered by the Central
Government under sub­section (1) for carrying out the functions under that sub­section and if he
fails to do so without any reasonable cause or excuse, he shall be guilty of an offence under this
Act.

(3) If any person willfully delays or obstructs any person empowered by the Central Government
under sub­section (1) in the performance of his functions, he shall be guilty of an offence under this
Act.

(4) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, or, in relation to the State of Jammu
and Kashmir, or any area in which that Code is not in force, the provisions of any corresponding law
in force in that State or area shall, so far as may be, apply to any search or seizure under this
section as they apply to any search or seizure made under the authority of a warrant issued under
section 94 of the said Code or, as the case may be, under the corresponding provision of the said
law.

Section 11 ­ Power to take sample and procedure to be followed in connection therewith

(1) The Central Government or any officer empowered by it in this behalf, shall have power to take,
for the purpose of analysis, samples of air, water, soil or other substance from any factory,
premises or other place in such manner as may be prescribed.

(2) The result of any analysis of a sample taken under sub­section (1) shall not be admissible in
evidence in any legal proceeding unless the provisions of sub­sections (3) and (4) are complied
with.

(3) Subject to the provisions of sub­section (4), the person taking the sample under sub­section (1)
shall­­

(a) serve on the occupier or his agent or person in charge of the place, a notice, then and there,
in such form as may be prescribed, of his intention to have it so analysed;

(b) in the presence of (he occupier or his agent or person, collect a sample for analysis;

(c) cause the sample to be placed in a container or containers which shall be marked and
seated and shall also be signed both by the person taking the sample and the occupier or his
agent or person;

(d) send without delay, the container or the containers to the laboratory established or
recognised by the Central Government under section 12.

(4) When a sample is taken for analysis under sub­section (1) and the person taking the sample
serves on the occupier or his agent or person, a notice under clause (a) of sub­section (3), then,­­

(a) in a case where the occupier, his agent or person willfully absents himself, the person taking
the sample shall collect the sample for analysis to be placed in a container or containers which
shall be marked and sealed and shall also be signed by the person taking the sample, and

(b) in a case where the occupier or his agent or person present at the time of taking the sample
refuses to sign the marked and sealed container or containers of the sample as required under
clause (c) of sub­section (3), the marked and sealed container or containers shall be signed by
the person taking the samples, and the container or containers shall be sent without delay by
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the person taking the sample for analysis to the laboratory established or recognised under
section 12 and such person shall inform the Government Analyst appointed or recognised under
section 13 in writing, about the willful absence of the occupier or his agent or person, or, as the
case may be, his refusal to sign the container or containers.

Section 12 ­ Environmental laboratories

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,­­

(a) establish one or more environmental laboratories;

(b) recognise one or more laboratories or institutes as environmental laboratories to carry out
the functions entrusted to an environmental laboratory under this Act.

(2) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules specifying­­

(a) the functions of the environmental laboratory;

(b) the procedure for the submission to the said laboratory of samples of air, water, soil or
other substance for analysis or tests, the form of the laboratory report thereon and the fees
payable for such report;

(c) such other matters as may be necessary or expedient to enable that laboratory to carry out
its functions.

Section 13 ­ Government Analysts

The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint or recognise such persons as
it thinks fit and having the prescribed qualifications to be Government Analysts for the purpose of analysis
of samples of air, water, soil or other substance sent for analysis to any environ­mental laboratory
established or recognised under sub­section (1) of section 12.

Section 14 ­ Reports of Government Analysts

Any document purporting to be a report signed by a Government Analyst may be used as evidence of the
facts stated therein in any proceeding under mis Act.

Section 15 ­ Penalty for contravention of the provisions of the Act and the rules, orders and
directions

(1) Whoever fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provisions of this Act, or the rules made
or orders or directions issued thereunder, shall, in respect of each such failure or contravention, be
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with Fine which may
extend to one lakh rupees, or with both, and in case the failure or contravention continues, with
additional fine which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day during which such failure or
contravention continues after me conviction for the first such failure or contravention.

(2) If the failure or contravention referred to in sub­section (1) continues beyond a period of one
year after the date of conviction, the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term

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which may extend to seven years.

Section 16 ­ Offences by companies

(1) Where any offence under this Act has been committed by a company, every person who, at the
time the offence was committed, was directly in charge of, and was responsible to, the company
for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be
guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly:

Provided that nothing contained in this sub­section shall render any such person liable to any
punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his
knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub­section (1), where an offence under this Act has been
committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or
connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or
other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be
deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished
accordingly.

Explanation.­­ For the purposes of this section,­­

(a) "company" means any body corporate, and includes a firm or other association of
individuals; and

(b) "director", in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.

Section 17 ­ Offences by Government Departments

(1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by any Department, of Government, the
Head of the Department shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be
proceeded against and punished accordingly:

Provided that nothing contained in this section shall render such Head of the Department liable
to any punishment if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that
he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub­section (1), where an offence under this Act has been
committed by a Department of Government and it is proved that the offence has been committed
with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable lo any neglect on the part of, any officer, other
than the Head of the Department, such officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and
shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

Section 18 ­ Protection of action taken in good faith

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Government or any officer or other
employee of the Government or any authority constituted under this Act or any member, officer or other
employee of such authority in respect of anything which is done or intended to be done in good faith in
pursuance of this Act or the rules made or orders or directions issued thereunder.

Section 19 ­ Cognizance of offences

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No court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act except on a complaint made by­­

(a) the Central Government or any authority or officer authorised in this behalf by that
Government; or

(b) any person who has given notice of not less than sixty days, in the manner prescribed, of
the alleged offence and of his intention to make a complaint, to the Central Government or the
authority or officer authorised as aforesaid.

Section 20 ­ Information, reports or returns

The Central Government may, in relation to its functions under this Act, from time to time, require any
person, officer, State Government or other authority to furnish to it or any prescribed authority or officer
any reports, returns, statistics, accounts and other information and such person, officer, State Government
or other authority shall be bound to do so.

Section 21 ­ Members, officers and employees of the authority constituted under section 3 to be
public servants

All the members of the authority, constituted, if any, under section 3 and all officers and other employees
of such authority when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any provisions of this Act or the rules
made or orders or directions issued thereunder shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning
of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.

Section 22 ­ Bar of Jurisdiction

No civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit or proceeding in respect of anything done, action
taken or order or direction issued by the central government or any other authority or officer in pursuance
of any power conferred by or in relation to its or his functions under this Act.

Section 23 ­ Power to delegate

Without prejudice to the provisions of sub­section (3) of section 3, The Central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, delegate, subject to such conditions and limitations as may be specified
in the notification, such of its powers and functions under this Act [except the power to constitute an
authority under sub­section (3) of section 3 and to make rules under section 25] as it may deem necessary
or expedient, to any officer, State Government or other authority.

Section 24 ­ Effect of other laws

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub­section (2), the provisions of this Act and the rules or orders
made therein shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any
enactment other than this Act.

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(2) Where any act or omission constitutes an offence punishable under this Act and also under any
other Act then the offender found guilty of such offence shall be liable to be punished under the
other Act and not under this Act.

Section 25 ­ Power to make rules

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out
the purposes of this Act.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:­­

(a) the standards in excess of which environmental pollutants shall not be discharged or emitted
under section 7;

(b) the procedure in accordance with and the safeguards in compliance with which hazardous
substances shall be bandied or cause to be handled under section 8;

(c) the authorities or agencies to which intimation of the fact of occurrence or apprehension of
occurrence of the discharge of any environmental pollutant in excess of the prescribed
standards shall be given and to whom all assistance shall be bound to be rendered under sub­
section (1) of section 9;

(d) the manner in which samples of air, water, soil or other substance for the purpose of
analysis shall be taken under sub­section (1) of section 11;

(e) the form in which notice of intention to have a sample analysed shall be served under clause
(a) of sub­section (3) of section 11;

(f) the functions of the environmental laboratories, the procedure for the submission to such
laboratories of samples of air, water, soil and other substances for analysis or test; the form of
laboratory report; the fees payable for such report and other matters to enable such
laboratories to carry out their functions under sub­section (2) of section 12;

(g) the qualifications of Government Analyst appointed or recognised for the purpose of analysis
of samples of air, water, soil or other substances under section 13;

(h) the manner in which notice of the offence and of the intention to make a complaint to the
Central Government shall be given under clause (b) of section 19;

(i) the authority or officer to whom any reports, returns, statistics, accounts and other
information shall be furnished under section 20;

(j) any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed.

Section 26 ­ Rules made under this Act to be laid before Parliament

Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of
Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session
or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the
session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or
both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such
modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.

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