Pollution Control Economics — Environmental Laws

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment Act	1976	This landmark amendment inserted Article 48A and Article 51A(g) into the Indian Constitution. Article 48A, a Directive Principle of State Policy, mandates the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. Article 51A(g), a Fundamental Duty, enjoins every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment. These additions provided a constitutional bedrock for environmental protection, legitimizing subsequent environmental legislation and judicial activism.	Provided a strong constitutional mandate for environmental protection, shifting it from a mere policy concern to a fundamental duty of both the state and its citizens. This paved the way for comprehensive environmental laws like the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and strengthened the legal basis for pollution control measures and judicial interventions.