At the national level, the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Abatement of Pollution, was announced providing the essential basis for integration of environmental considerations in the policies and programmes of different ministries and departments.
Under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, it has become mandatory for 29 categories of industries and projects to seek environmental clearance before expansion, modernisation or undertaking new projects.
1. Industrial Pollution:
A drive was launched by the Ministry in 1992 setting deadlines for 17 categories of grossly polluting industries in the large and medium sectors. An industrial pollution control project was launched with World Bank aid and its phase II has been approved at a cost of $ 330 million.
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Under this project, financial assistance is provided to install pollution control equipment for large-scale industries. Government subsidy and soft- loan is also made available for setting up common effluent treatment plants in clusters of small-scale units.
Besides, environmental guidelines have been evolved for location and operation of industries. A network of ambient air and water supply monitoring stations has been set up.
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Standards for air and water quality have also been notified. Twenty-two critically polluted areas all over the country have been identified and environmental management plans are being implemented for control of pollution and improvement of environment in these areas.
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Now it has become compulsory for anyone carrying an industrial operation to provide an yearly statement to the State Pollution Control Boards. The industries are also required to specify the impact of pollution control measures on conservation of natural resources.
2. Environment Relief Fund:
Parliament passed the Public Liability Insurance Act which imposes on the owner the liability to provide immediate relief in respect of death or injury to any person or damage to any property resulting from an accident while handling hazardous chemicals. The owner has to take insurance policy compulsorily. An Environment Relief Fund has been created out of the premiums.
It is a matter for gratification to note that the judiciary in India has risen to the occasion in order to ensure environmental protection. The courts have ordered the following steps to foster cleaner environment,
(i) Large number of polluting industries in Delhi were ordered to move out of the capital,
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(ii) Aquaculture of prawns and shrimps close to the sea was banned,
(iii) Children were prohibited from being employed in hazardous chemical industries,
(iv) Small scale industries around Agra were asked to switch over to gas from coal to preserve the Taj.
(v) In another landmark judgement, the Supreme Court had directed the conversion of diesel buses into CNG by September 1, 2001. The effort was to reduce atmospheric pollution.
By September, 2007, Delhi is now less polluted than Mumbai, though earlier it enjoyed the unsavory distinction of being the most polluted city of India.
3. National Forest Policy:
The Forest Survey of India Report-1993, based on satellite imagery shows that the forest cover in the country has increased from 6,39,182 sq. km in 1991 to 6,40,107 sq. km in 1993. The afforestation effort has been stepped up considerably during the last few years and over 30 lakh hectares have been afforested. Besides, approximately 40 crore seedlings were distributed for plantation on private lands.
Several afforestation projects have been taken up throughout the country with the assistance of international institutions like the World Bank and under bilateral/multilateral arrangements.
These include Aravalli Project, Indira Gandhi Canal Area Afforestation Project, Greening of Haryana, Dhauladhar Project, Kullu-Mandi Afforestation Project, Western Ghats and Andhra Pradesh Afforestation Projects.
Several other projects are in the pipeline. The country is likely to get additional funds for the greening effort from the Global Environment Facility set up by the UN to implement the Bio-diversity and Climate Change Conventions.
Appreciating the spirit of the Global Forestry Action Programme, the government prepared the National Forestry Action Programme in consonance with the National Forest Policy of 1988.
The programme which was prepared with the help of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), will result in a forestry sector review, covering critical issues, a perspective, action programme for the long-term and short-term development of forestry at the national and state levels and integration of approaches based on local initiatives.
The fourth Eco Task Force of ex-servicemen was added to work in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) besides the earlier three in Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. They undertake ecological restoration work in selected environmentally degraded areas, particularly in unapproachable and hostile terrains.
The Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development has formulated a Himalayan Action Plan spelling out specific actions that need to be undertaken to achieve ecologically sound development of the Himalayas. This covers the problems of denudation, salutariness, hydrological imbalances, long-term horticulture development, wild fruits development, conservation strategies and tourism.
4. Protection of Wild Life:
The Wild Life Act, 1972 was amended to prohibit the hunting of any wild animals other than vermin and prohibit collection and commercial exploitation of threatened species. Punishment for poaching was made more stringent.
Project Tiger has been hailed all over the world as the best example of conservation. An International Tiger Symposium was organised to mark the 20th anniversary of the project.
A Global Tiger Forum was set up and its first meeting was held in Delhi under the chairmanship of India. Project Elephant was launched in 1991-92 to safeguard against further degradation of the elephant habitats, involving the people living in or around the elephant habitats.
Two new schemes ‘Paryavaran Vahini’ and ‘Eco Clubs’ to involve the youth and students in spreading awareness among the masses were launched. One thousand Eco Clubs were set up in schools all over the country and another 1000 are in the offing. Paryavaran Vahinis were set up in 187 districts and all districts will be covered in phases.
5. National River Conservation Plan:
The National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) was launched to clean 14 grossly polluted stretches of nine rivers and 14 other stretches in another eight rivers. The NRCP will mainly draw upon the lessons learnt, and the experience gained, from the Ganga Action Programme.
The cost of the project is equally shared by the Centre and the States. Tentatively Rs. 100 crore has been earmarked for the plan. The Rs. 423 crore Yamuna Action Programme to clean the river in Delhi and other towns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh has been launched.
The Gomti and Damodar Action Programmes are also ready for launching. Crores have been spent on Ganga Action Plan and the Yamuna Action Programme; the two rivers are more polluted in 2009 than at the time when these schemes were launched.