Environmental Regulations — Policy Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment Act	1976	Inserted Article 48A (protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wildlife) and Article 51A(g) (fundamental duty to protect and improve the natural environment) into the Constitution.	Provided the constitutional bedrock for environmental legislation and policy in India, elevating environmental protection to a state responsibility and a citizen's duty.
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act	1988	Strengthened the powers of the CPCB and SPCBs, increased penalties for violations, and introduced provisions for closure of industries in case of grave pollution.	Enhanced the enforcement capabilities of pollution control boards and made penalties more stringent, aiming for better compliance.
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act	1987	Expanded the definition of 'air pollutant' to include noise, and increased penalties for non-compliance.	Broadened the scope of air pollution control to include noise pollution, reflecting a more holistic approach to environmental quality.
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act	1988	Clarified certain provisions and strengthened the Central Government's control over diversion of forest land.	Aimed at preventing further deforestation and ensuring stricter scrutiny of projects requiring forest land diversion.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act	2022	Aligned the Act with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), rationalized schedules, and enhanced penalties for wildlife crimes.	Strengthened India's commitment to international wildlife conservation efforts and provided more robust legal tools to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
EIA Notification	2006 (superseding 1994)	Streamlined the EIA process, categorized projects into A and B, and decentralized some clearance powers to state-level authorities.	Aimed to make the EIA process more efficient and transparent, while also introducing state-level involvement in clearances for smaller projects.