About the Ministry of environment

The Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) is the nodal agency in the administrative
structure of the Central Government for the planning, promotion, co-ordination and
overseeing the implementation of India's environmental and forestry policies and programs.

The primary concerns of the Ministry are implementation of policies and programs relating to
conservation of the country's natural resources including its lakes and rivers, its biodiversity,
forests and wildlife, ensuring the welfare of animals, and the prevention and abatement of
pollution. While implementing these policies and programs, the Ministry is guided by the
principle of sustainable development and enhancement of human well-being.

The broad objectives of the Ministry are:

• Conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife

• Prevention and control of pollution
• Afforestation and regeneration of degraded areas
• Protection of the environment and
• Ensuring the welfare of animals

These objectives are well supported by a set of legislative and regulatory measures, aimed at
the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment. Besides the legislative
measures, the National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and
Development, 1992; National Forest Policy, 1988; Policy Statement on Abatement of
Pollution, 1992; and the National Environment Policy, 2006 also guide the Ministry's work.

The main functions of the ministry of environment at the central level in India

 Whoever fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provisions of this Act, or the
rules made or orders or directions issued there under, shall, in respect of each such failure
or contravention, be punishable with imprisonment or with fine or with both.
 No person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in
accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be
prescribed.
 The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish one or
more environmental laboratories; and recognize one or more laboratories or institutes as
environmental laboratories to carry out the functions entrusted to an environmental
laboratory under this Act.
 The Central Government or any officer empowered by it in this behalf, shall have power
to take, for the purpose of analysis, samples of air, water, soil or other substance from any
factory, premises or other place in such manner as may be prescribed
 The Central Government shall have the power to take all such measures as it deems
necessary or expedient for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of the
environment and preventing, controlling and abating environmental pollution.

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The role of the Ministry for the Environment

 Under the Resource Management Act, the Ministry for the Environment provides
national guidance for regional councils and unitary authorities to manage the air in their
region. This national guidance includes ambient air quality guidelines, good-practice
guidance, research and reporting, and assistance with public education campaigns. The
Ministry does not have a formal enforcement role – this has been delegated to regional
councils and unitary authorities.
 An important role of the Ministry for the Environment is to assist councils meet the
national air quality standards. We do this by providing information on wood burners,
clean and efficient forms of home heating, collating monitoring information from all
around the country, and providing help and advice to regional councils.

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What kind of clearance are required from ministry before setting up a project in areas of
aviation, energy, housing, manufacturing industry?
Environmental Clearances

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important management tool for ensuring the
optimal use of natural resources for sustainable development. Environmental Management or
planning is the study of the unintended consequences of a project. Its purpose is to identify,
examine, assess and evaluate the likely and probable impacts of a proposed project on the
environment and, thereby, to work out remedial action plans to minimize adverse impact on the
environment.

The Ministry has issued the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, which makes
environmental clearance mandatory for the development activities listed in its schedule.

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 Forest Clearances
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 came into force with effect from October 25, 1980. Under
the provisions of this Act, prior approval of the Central Government is essential for diversion of
forest lands for the non-forestry purposes. In the national interest and in the interest of future
generations, this Act, therefore, regulates the diversion of forest lands to non-forestry purposes.
The basic objective of the Act is, to regulate the indiscriminate diversion of forest lands for non-
forestry uses and to maintain a logical balance between the developmental needs of the country
and the conservation of natural heritage.
Genetic Engineering Clearances

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) is the apex body constituted in the
Ministry of Environment and Forests under 'Rules for Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and
Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989', under
the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The Rules of 1989 also define five competent authorities
i.e. the Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBSC), Review Committee of Genetic Manipulation
(RCGM), Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), State Biotechnology Coordination
Committee (SBCC) and District Level Committee (DLC) for handling of various aspects of the
rules.

What role ministry plays in safeguarding?

Introduction
In recent time, the coastal zone of world is under increasing pressure due to high rate of human
population growth, development of various industries, mining, fishing, industrial waste effluents
and discharge of municipal sewage. Such industrial development along the coast has resulted in
degradation of coastal ecosystems and diminishing the coastal resources. Thus there is an urgent
need to protect the coastal ecosystems and habitats by implementing the coastal regulation zone
notification and integrated coastal zone management study. Healthy coastal life needs
understanding and proper planning of environment, on and around the coast. Perhaps with these
views only the ministry of Environment and forest, Government of India issued a notification in
the year 1991, under Environment protection act of 1986, declaring coastal stretches as coastal
regulation zone (CRZ) and regulating activities in CRZ.

India has a coast of about 7516 km long and 4198 islands are spread along the main coast of
Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep group. The coastal zone means the coastal water, wetland
and shore land strongly influenced by marine water. This is the area of interaction between land
and sea, which is influenced by both terrestrial and marine environment. The coastal zone
includes the area between high tide line (HTL) and low tide line(LTL), up to 10 nautical miles
towards the seaside from HTL and up to 20 km from HTL towards the land side. The accurate
demarcation of shoreline is very important for planning purposes. The prime requisite of coastal
regulation zone plan chart is basically to manage coastal and coastal zone features for sustainable
use by demarcating high and low tide line on chart with the help of hydrographic surveys.

Environment protection act

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In order to conserve resources by controlling their depletion and manage development activities,
Government of India had promulgated the Environmental (protection) act 1986. The ministry of
Environment and Forest has notified in February 1991, the coastal stretches from HTL to 500
mts. towards land and from HTL to LTL towards sea as coastal regulation zone(CRZ). In view of
above there is necessity to prepare CRZ plan and CZM charts for our coastal zone as per
International standard of quality and accuracy for coastal zone users. Latest Hydrographic
surveys of LTL, HTL, 200 mts. Line and 500mt line are the input source for the preparation of
CRZ planning charts. Naval Hydrographic Department (NHD) of India is responsible for
delineation of high tide line and low tide line, which are baseline for preparation of CRZ plan
chart. Since NHD has the professional capacity and technology, the ministry of Environment and
Forest has requested to NHD to verify coastal regulation zone plan prepared by states for precise
depiction of HTL, LTL and control marks and prepare guidelines for CRZ/ coastal zone
management chart
Prohibited activities

a. Setting of new industries and expansion of existing industries (except those directly
related to waterfront or directly needing for shore facilities).
b. Manufacture, handling, storage or disposal of hazardous substances.
c. Setting up and expansion of fish processing units including warehousing
d. Discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities and other human
settlements.
e. Dumping of cities and town wastes for the purpose of land filling.
f. Dumping of ash or any wastes from thermal power station
g. Land reclamation bounding or disturbing the natural course of seawater with similar
obstructions except those required for control of coastal erosion.
h. Mining of sands, rocks and others sub strain materials except other minerals not available
outside the CRZ areas.
i. Construction activities in ecologically sensitive areas.
j. Any construction activities between the Low Tide line and high tide line except in
permitted areas.
k. Dressing or altering of sand dunes, hills natural features including landscape changes.

Regulation of permissible activities

1. Clearance shall be given for any activities with in the Coastal Regulation Zone if it
requires waterfronts and fore shore facilities.
2. The following activities will require environmental clearance from Ministry of
Environment and Forest Govt. of India.
i. Construction activities related to Defense requirements for which fore shore
facilities are required (e.g. Jetties etc.)
ii. Operational constructions for ports and harbors and lighthouses requiring water
frontage Jetty, waves quays etc.
iii. Thermal Power Plants (only fore shore facilities for transport of raw materials for
intake of cooling water and out fall for discharge of treated waste water).
iv. All other activities with investment exceeding rupees Five Crores.
3.
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 i. The Coastal states and Union territory Administration shall prepare Coastal Zone
Management Plans at the earliest and approval be taken from Central Govt. in the
Ministry of Forest and Environment.
ii. Within the Framework of such approval plans the State Govt./ U.T.
Administration or local Authorities shall regulate all development and activities
within the CRZ.