1. SHORT TITLE, EXTENT AND COMMENCEMENT.-
(1) This Act may be called the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for
different provisions of this Act and for different areas1
.
2.DEFINITIONS.-
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
(a) "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter- relationship
which exists among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other
living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property;
1
It came into force in the whole of India on 19th November, 1986 vide Notification No. G.S.R. 1198(E) dated 12-11-86
published in the Gazette of India No. 525 dated 12-11-86.
268 The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
(b) "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous
substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to
environment;
(c) "environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of
any environmental pollutant;
(d) "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture,
processing, treatment, package, storage, transportation, use, collection,
destruction, conversion, offering for sale, transfer or the like of such substance;
(e) "hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by
reason of its chemical or physico-chemical properties or handling, is liable to
cause harm to human beings, other living creatures, plant, micro-organism,
property or the environment;
(f) "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who
has, control over the affairs of the factory or the premises and includes in relation
to any substance, the person in possession of the substance;
(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.