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Q58 (IAS/2019) Environment & Ecology › Environment Laws, Policies & Institutions (India) › Environmental Legislation Overview Official Key

Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participation in the process of environmental protection, and the procedure and manner in which it is sought 2. lay down the standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is option B (statement 2 only).

The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the government to lay down standards for emission and discharge of pollutants[1], making statement 2 correct. The EPA gave authority to the Centre to issue direct orders to close, prohibit or regulate any industry, and as an enabling law, it delegates wide powers to the executive, allowing it to make rules to manage different issues[2].

However, statement 1 is incorrect because the Act itself does not explicitly empower the government to state requirements for public participation in environmental protection processes. While public participation features in subsequent notifications like the EIA Notification (where provisions include reduction in the public hearing period from 30 to 20 days[3]), this is not a direct empowerment under the original EPA 1986. The Act primarily focuses on pollution control standards, regulatory powers, and enforcement mechanisms rather than mandating public participation procedures.

Sources
  1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 5: Biodiversity and Legislations > Environmental Protection act, 1982 > p. 15
  2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Environmental Legislation > p. 725
  3. [3] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 7: Environmental Impact Assessment > Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification zooz > p. 131
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
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23%
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement o…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 ¡ 0/10
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This is a classic 'Scope of Legislation' question found in every standard ecology textbook (Shankar, Majid Hussain). It tests if you understand the EPA, 1986 as an 'Umbrella Act' that authorizes major notifications like EIA and CRZ. If you knew EIA (which mandates public hearings) comes under EPA, Statement 1 was automatic.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 empower the Government of India to require public participation in the process of environmental protection?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 7: Environmental Impact Assessment > Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification zooz > p. 131
Presence: 5/5
“Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification zozo Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) published the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2002 to replace the 1986 notification. Some of the key provisions of the EIA Notification include: • Reduction in the public hearing period from 30 to 20 days. • Exemption of projects classified as A, B1, and B2 from public scrutiny. • Changes in post-clearance compliance reporting, shifting from semi-annual to annual submissions. • Requirement for project proponents to prepare the EIA report exclusively. • Omission of reporting violations and non-compliance by the public.”
Why this source?
  • Specifies that the Environment (Protection) Act was the legal basis for the EIA Notification which contains provisions for public hearings (a form of public participation).
  • Mentions changes to the public hearing/public scrutiny process implemented under notifications issued under the Act, showing the Act’s use to regulate public participation mechanisms.
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.3. ENVIRONMENT (PRoTECTIetr) > p. 72
Presence: 4/5
“• As compared to all other Oa.rrou, laws on environment protection, the' Environment (Protection) Act, Lq86 is a more effective and bold measure to fight the problem of pollution. • The genesis ofthe Environmental (protection) Act, 1986, thus, is in Article 48A [Directive principles of State Policy) and Article S1A (g) (Fundamental Duties) of the Indian Constitution. • The Act empowers the Central Government to take all appropriate measures to prevent and control”
Why this source?
  • States that the Act empowers the Central Government to take 'all appropriate measures' to prevent and control environmental pollution, implying authority to create participatory measures.
  • Links the Act’s genesis to constitutional environmental duties, supporting broad remedial powers for the Centre relevant to public engagement.
Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Environmental Legislation > p. 725
Presence: 4/5
“An outcome of the Bhopal tragedy was the increase in environmental awareness and activism in India. Rajiv Gandhi as prime minister responded positively. In 1986 came the Environment Protection Act (EPA) under which the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) was created with overall responsibility for administering and enforcing environmental laws and policies. EPA gave authority to the Centre to issue direct orders to close, prohibit or regulate any industry. An enabling law, it delegates wide powers to the executive, allowing it to make rules to manage different issues. In 1987,”
Why this source?
  • Describes the Act as an enabling law that delegates wide powers to the executive to make rules to manage environmental issues, which is the route used to require or structure public participation.
  • Notes the Centre’s authority under the Act to issue direct orders and regulatory measures, indicating ability to mandate procedures like public hearings.
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Statement analysis

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