Environmental Issues in India — Environmental Laws

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Constitutional Amendment Act	1976	Inserted Article 48A, a Directive Principle of State Policy, mandating the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. Also added Article 51A(g), a Fundamental Duty, obliging citizens to protect and improve the natural environment.	Provided the foundational constitutional mandate for environmental protection, shifting it from a mere administrative concern to a constitutional obligation for both the state and citizens, paving the way for subsequent environmental legislation.
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act	2023	Amended the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, to clarify the applicability of the Act to certain lands, exempting specific linear projects (e.g., roads, railways) and security-related infrastructure within 100 km of international borders from requiring prior forest clearance. It also allowed for the establishment of zoos, safaris, and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas.	Aimed to streamline development projects and enhance national security infrastructure, but raised concerns among environmentalists about potential dilution of forest protection, particularly in ecologically sensitive border regions and the definition of 'forest' itself.
Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act	2022	Amended the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, primarily to implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It increased penalties for wildlife crimes, rationalized schedules of protected species, and provided for the establishment of a management authority for CITES.	Strengthened India's legal framework for wildlife conservation and its international commitments. The increased penalties are expected to act as a stronger deterrent against poaching and illegal wildlife trade, while rationalizing schedules aims for better management.

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