Environmental Movements — Legal Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment	1976	Added Article 48A as a Directive Principle of State Policy requiring the state to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. Also added Article 51A(g) making it a fundamental duty of citizens to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife.	Provided constitutional foundation for environmental protection and influenced by growing environmental consciousness from movements like Chipko. Enabled judicial activism in environmental cases and provided legal basis for environmental legislation and policy.