Question map
Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 3: Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. This was done following a mandate from the Supreme Court in the M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India case to regulate and control groundwater development and management in the country.
The other options are incorrect based on their statutory origins:
- Central Water Commission (CWC): An attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, established through executive action in 1945.
- Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): A subordinate office under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, established in 1970 for scientific surveys. While CGWA is often staffed by CGWB, the legal "Authority" specifically flows from the 1986 Act.
- National Water Development Agency (NWDA): A registered society established in 1982 to study inter-basin water transfers.
Thus, only the CGWA possesses the statutory backing of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'Sitter' from standard static books (Shankar/Singhania). The question tests the fundamental distinction between a scientific department (Board) and a regulatory body (Authority). If you missed this, your static notes on Environmental Legislation are incomplete.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was the Central Water Commission constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
- Statement 2: Was the Central Ground Water Board constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
- Statement 3: Was the Central Ground Water Authority constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
- Statement 4: Was the National Water Development Agency constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?
- Explicitly states that the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was set up under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — showing that the Act was used to constitute groundwater authorities, not necessarily the CWC.
- By naming CGWA as constituted under the Act, the passage distinguishes which water bodies were created under the Act, implying CWC is not the authority referenced as being set up under this Act.
- Identifies the Central Water Commission (CWC) as the agency that manages surface water, separate from groundwater authorities.
- Shows institutional separation between CWC (surface water) and CGWB/CGWA (groundwater), supporting that CWC is a distinct body not described as constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act in these passages.
Gives an example of a water-related authority (Central Ground Water Authority) that was explicitly set up in 1997 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
A student could note that EPA has been used to create water-management authorities and therefore check whether CWC was similarly constituted under EPA or under a different statute/administrative order.
Statements include an explicit claim that CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act, reinforcing that EPA has been used to form central groundwater bodies.
Use this pattern to contrast CGWA's legal origin with CWC’s origin (look up CWC’s founding statute/administrative order) to test the statement.
Explains that the Environment (Protection) Act empowers the Central Government to take measures and establish effective machinery to protect and improve the environment.
From this general power, a student could infer EPA is a plausible legal basis for creating bodies like CWC and then verify whether CWC was in fact constituted under EPA or under other water-sector laws.
Lists specific powers under EPA (e.g., establishing machinery, issuing directions), indicating the Act's practical use to create authorities and issue regulatory directions.
Given these powers, a student could investigate whether CWC’s mandate and powers match EPA-style directions or instead derive from earlier water-sector legislation or ministry orders.
Shows that other central water-related bodies (Central Water Pollution Control Board) were established under earlier acts (Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974), illustrating that water institutions can be constituted under different statutes.
A student could use this contrast to reason that CWC might have been constituted under an older, sector-specific law (or ministry resolution) rather than under the EPA, and thus check CWC’s founding instrument.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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