The National Green Tribunal Act of 2010
It was created in line with the 1992 Rio Summit to provide judicial and administrative remedies for the victims of pollutants and other environmental damage.
- It also agrees with Article 21, the constitutional right to a healthy environment for its citizens.
- The NGT must render judgment on the cases presented within 6 months of their appeal.
- The NGT has original jurisdiction over matters relating to significant environmental issues.
Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act of 2016
The CAF Law was enacted to manage the funds collected for afforestation under the compensation scheme which until then was administered by the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
- Compensatory Afforestation means that whenever forest land is converted to non-forest use such as industry or mining, the user agency pays for reforestation on an equivalent area of non-forested land, or if the land has no forest, double the area of degraded forest land.
According to the rules of environmental laws in India, 90% of CAF funds must be given to the states while 10% must be kept by the Centre. Funds can be used to treat watershed forests, support natural production, manage forests, protect and manage wildlife, relocate villages from protected areas, manage human-wildlife conflicts, train and awareness raising, provision of wood-saving devices, and related activities.
Environmental Laws in India
Environment laws in India mainly focus on the management and preservation of natural resources. Consequently, several environmental legal principles are enforced to save the environment from exploitation. The emphasis is mainly laid on forests, minerals, and fisheries. The implementation of environmental laws in India is directly associated with the Indian constitution. The framework of environmental laws is mainly enacted for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Not only the laws but India’s international commitment also look after this fact to protect the environment as much as possible. Some of the significant environmental laws are portrayed below with detailed explanations.
The Environmental laws of India not only attempt to safeguard the environment from the crisis situation but also serve as an important reminder of who and how is allowed to use the natural resources and under what circumstances. Under the Environmental Protection Act of 1986, water, air, and land serve interpersonal relationships which occur among them as well as humans along with plants, microorganisms, and property, which is referred to as Environment.