UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM &

ENERGY STUDIES
COLLEGE OF LEGAL STUDIES

BA., LLB(HONS.) ENERGY LAWS

SEMESTER 1

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2016-2017 SESSION: JULY-

DECEMBER

SYNOPSIS

FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE

UNDER SUPERVISION OF MR. SAM BABU KC

TOPIC – POLLUTION IN INDIA

 NAME: NISHANT GUPTA

 ROLL NUMBER: 71

 SAP ID: 500059928

INTRODUCTION
This project is based on the environmental and its interaction concept of elementary cycles,
characteristics of the atmosphere, styles and effects of environmental pollution.

POLLUTION CONTROL: JUDICIAL PERSPECTIVES

For a long time since the enactment of Water and Air Acts, industries were invariably
disregarding the direction of pollution control boards and violating the conditions of consent
with impunity. The boards, being the agencies envisaged to control pollution, stood as helpless
witnesses to these tragic happening. This malady stirred the conscience of the court of the courts.
The very negligence of the boards in their functioning also came to the notice of judicial
vigilance. According to the section 2(a) of the environmental protection act, 1986.
“Environment” includes:

1) Water, air and land.

2) The inter- relationship which exists among and between :
a) Water, air and land and;
b) Human beings, other living creatures, plant, micro-organism and property.

Environment is the sum total of all conditions and influences that affect the development of all
living things including man. It includes the positive and negative effects of human intervention
and creation of assets or capital.

AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution in India is quite a serious issue with the major sources being fuelwood and biomass
burning, fuel adulteration, vehicle emission and traffic congestion. In autumn and winter months,
large scale crop residue burning in agriculture fields – a low cost alternative to mechanical tilling
– is a major source of smoke, smog and particulate pollution.India has a low per capita emissions
of greenhouse gases but the country as a whole is the third largest after China and the United
States.A 2013 study on non-smokers has found that Indians have 30% lower lung function
compared to Europeans.
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was passed in 1981 to regulate air pollution
and there have been some measurable improvements. However, the 2016 Environmental
Performance Index ranked India 141 out of 180 countries.
In 2015, Government of India, together with IIT Kanpur launched the National Air Quality
Index.
An air pollutant is a substance in the air that can have adverse effects on humans and the
ecosystem. The substance can be solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. A pollutant can be of
natural origin or man-made. Pollutants are classified as primary or secondary. Primary pollutants
are usually produced from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption. Other examples
include carbon monoxide gas from motor vehicle exhaust, or the sulfur dioxide released from
factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when
primary pollutants react or interact. Ground level ozone is a prominent example of a secondary
pollutant. Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: they are both emitted directly
and formed from other primary pollutants.

Substances emitted into the atmosphere by human activity include:

 Carbon dioxide (CO2) - Because of its role as a greenhouse gas it has been described as
"the leading pollutant" and "the worst climate pollution".Carbon dioxide is a natural
component of the atmosphere, essential for plant life and given off by the human respiratory
system. This question of terminology has practical effects, for example as determining
whether the U.S. Clean Air Act is deemed to regulate CO2 emissions. CO2 currently forms
about 405 parts per million (ppm) of earth's atmosphere, compared to about 280 ppm in pre-
industrial times, and billions of metric tons of CO2 are emitted annually by burning of fossil
fuels. CO2 increase in earth's atmosphere has been accelerating.
 Sulfur oxides (SOx) - particularly sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula
SO2. SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Coal and petroleum
often contain sulfur compounds, and their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further
oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and
thus acid rain.This is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the use
of these fuels as power sources.
 Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are expelled from
high temperature combustion, and are also produced during thunderstorms by electric
discharge. They can be seen as a brown hazedome above or a plume downwind of cities.
Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula NO2. It is one of several nitrogen
oxides. One of the most prominent air pollutants, this reddish-brown toxic gas has a
characteristic sharp, biting odor.
 Carbon monoxide (CO) - CO is a colorless, odorless, toxic yet non-irritating gas. It is a
product of incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular
exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide.
 Volatile organic compounds (VOC) - VOCs are a well-known outdoor air pollutant. They
are categorized as either methane (CH4) or non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an
extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other
hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases because of their role in creating
ozone and prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere. This effect varies depending on
local air quality. The aromatic NMVOCs benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected
carcinogens and may lead to leukemia with prolonged exposure. 1,3-butadiene is another
dangerous compound often associated with industrial use.
 Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM), atmospheric particulate
matter, or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast,
aerosol refers to combined particles and gas. Some particulates occur naturally, originating
from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray.
Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various
industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Averaged worldwide,
 anthropogenic aerosols—those made by human activities—currently account for
approximately 10 percent of our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are
linked to health hazards such as heart disease, altered lung function and lung cancer.
 Persistent free radicals connected to airborne fine particles are linked to cardiopulmonary
disease.
 Toxic metals, such as lead and mercury, especially their compounds.
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - harmful to the ozone layer; emitted from products are
currently banned from use. These are gases which are released from air conditioners,
refrigerators, aerosol sprays, etc. On release into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere. Here
they come in contact with other gases and damage the ozone layer. This allows harmful
ultraviolet rays to reach the earth's surface. This can lead to skin cancer, eye disease and can
even cause damage to plants.
 Ammonia (NH3) - emitted from agricultural processes. Ammonia is a compound with the
formula NH3. It is normally encountered as a gas with a characteristic pungent odor.
Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving
as a precursor to foodstuffs and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or indirectly, is also a
building block for the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals. Although in wide use, ammonia is
both caustic and hazardous. In the atmosphere, ammonia reacts with oxides of nitrogen and
sulfur to form secondary particle
 Odours — such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes
 Radioactive pollutants - produced by nuclear explosions, nuclear events, war explosives,
and natural processes such as the radioactive decay of radon.
Secondary pollutants include:

 Particulates created from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical

smog. Smog is a kind of air pollution. Classic smog results from large amounts of coal
burning in an area caused by a mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide. Modern smog does not
usually come from coal but from vehicular and industrial emissions that are acted on in the
atmosphere by ultraviolet light from the sun to form secondary pollutants that also combine
with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog.
 Ground level ozone (O3) formed from NOx and VOCs. Ozone (O3) is a key constituent of
the troposphere. It is also an important constituent of certain regions of the stratosphere
commonly known as the Ozone layer. Photochemical and chemical reactions involving it
drive many of the chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere by day and by night. At
abnormally high concentrations brought about by human activities (largely the combustion
of fossil fuel), it is a pollutant, and a constituent of smog.
 Peroxyacetyl nitrate (C2H3NO5) - similarly formed from NOx and VOCs.
Minor air pollutants include:

 A large number of minor hazardous air pollutants. Some of these are regulated in USA
under the Clean Air Act and in Europe under the Air Framework Directive
 A variety of persistent organic pollutants, which can attach to particulates
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental
degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. Because of this, they have
been observed to persist in the environment, to be capable of long-range transport,
bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue, biomagnify in food chains, and to have potentially
significant impacts on human health and the environment.

.WATER ACT AND GROUNDWATER POLLUTION

The Water Act does not refer to Groundwater Pollution. Minerals solid wastes are mostly from
mining of minerals and fossils fuels and the associated milling and processing industries, strip
mining causes a particularly difficult from of pollution streams and destroy watersheds but also
leaves hude sears on the land. Efforts to repair scans of the country side have been attempted by
some comprise but are expensive. The amendment of the Act in 1978 prohibits discharge of
poisonous, noxious and other polluting matter not only into any stream or well, but also in
sewers.

A 2007 study found that discharge of untreated sewage is the single most important source of
pollution of surface and ground water in India. There is a large gap between generation and
treatment of domestic waste water in India. The problem is not only that India lacks sufficient
treatment capacity but also that the sewage treatment plants that exist do not operate and are not
maintained.
The majority of the government-owned sewage treatment plants remain closed most of the time
due to improper design or poor maintenance or lack of reliable electricity supply to operate the
plants, together with absentee employees and poor management. The waste water generated in
these areas normally percolates into the soil or evaporates. The uncollected wastes accumulate in
the urban areas causing unhygienic conditions and releasing pollutants that leach into surface and
groundwaters.
A 1992 World Health Organization study reported that out of India's 3,119 towns and cities, just
209 have partial sewage treatment facilities, and only 8 have full wastewater treatment facilities.
Downstream, the river water polluted by the untreated water is used for drinking, bathing, and
washing. A 1995 report claimed 114 Indian cities were dumping untreated sewage and partially
cremated bodies directly into the Ganges River. Lack of toilets and sanitation facilities
causes open defecation in rural and urban pill areas of India, like many developing
countries. This is a source of surface water pollution.
Sewage discharged from cities,towns and some villages is the predominant cause of water
pollution in India. Investment is needed to bridge the gap between sewage India generates and its
treatment capacity of sewage per day. Major cities of India produce 38,354 million litres per day
(MLD) of sewage, but the urban sewage treatment capacity is only 11,786 MLD. A large number
of Indian rivers are severely polluted as a result of discharge of domestic sewage.
The Central Pollution Control Board, a Ministry of Environment & Forests Government of India
entity, has established a National Water Quality Monitoring Network comprising 1429
monitoring stations in 28 states and 6 in Union Territories on various rivers and water bodies
across the country. This effort monitors water quality year round. The monitoring network
covers 293 rivers, 94 lakes, 9 tanks, 41 ponds, 8 creeks, 23 canals, 18 drains and 411 wells
distributed across India. Water samples are routinely analysed for 28 parameters including
dissolved oxygen, bacteriological and other internationally established parameters for water
quality. Additionally 9 trace metals parameters and 28 pesticide residues are analysed.
Biomonitoring is also carried out on specific locations.
The scientific analysis of water samples from 1995 to 2008 indicates that the organic and
bacterial contamination is severe in water bodies of India. This is mainly due to discharge of
domestic waste water in untreated form, mostly from the urban centres of India.
In 2010 the water quality monitoring found almost all rivers with high levels of BOD (a measure
of pollution with organic matter). The worst pollution, in decreasing order, were found in river
Markanda (490 mg/l BOD), followed by river Kali (364), river Amlakhadi (353), Yamuna canal
(247), river Yamuna at the Delhi (70) and river Betwa (58). For context, a water sample with a 5-
day BOD between 1 and 2 mg O/L indicates a very clean water, 3 to 8 mg O/L indicates a
moderately clean water, 8 to 20 indicates borderline water, and greater than 20 mg O/L indicates
ecologically-unsafe, polluted water.
The levels of BOD are severe near the cities and major towns. In rural parts of India, the river
BOD levels were sufficient to support aquatic life.
A joint study by PGIMER and Punjab Pollution Control Board in 2008, revealed that in villages
along the Nullah, fluoride, mercury, beta-endosulphan and heptachlor pesticide were more than
permissible limit (MPL) in ground and tap water. Plus the water had high concentration of COD
and BOD (chemical and biochemical oxygen demand), ammonia, phosphate, chloride,
chromium, arsenic and chlorpyrifos pesticide. The ground water also contains nickel and
selenium, while the tap water has high concentration of lead, nickel and cadmium.
Flooding during monsoons worsens India's water pollution problem, as it washes and moves
solid waste and contaminated soils into its rivers and wetlands. The annual average precipitation
in India is about 4000 billion cubic metres. From this, with the state of Indian infrastructure in
2005, the available water resource through the rivers is about 1869 billion cubic meters.
Accounting to uneven distribution of rain over the country each year, water resources available
for utilization, including ground water, is claimed to be about 1122 billion cubic meters. Much of
this water is unsafe, because pollution degrades water quality. Water pollution severely limits the
amount of water available to Indian consumer, its industry and its agriculture.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN DELHI

Environmental problems in Delhi, India, are a threat to the well-being of the city's and area's
inhabitants as well as the flora and fauna. Delhi, the sixth-most populated metropolis in the
world (second largest if the entire NCR is included), is one of the most heavily polluted cities in
India, having for instance one of the country's highest volumes of particulate matter pollution. In
May 2014 the World Health Organisation announced New Delhi as the most polluted city in the
world.
Overpopulation and the ensuing overuse of scarce resources such as water put heavy pressure on
the environment. The city suffers from air pollution caused by road dust and industry,[7] with
comparatively smaller contributions from unclean engines in transportation, especially diesel-
powered city buses and trucks, and 2-wheelers and 3-wheelers with two-stroke engines.[8] Noise
pollution comes mainly from motorcycle and automobile traffic. Water pollution and a lack of
solid waste treatment facilities have caused serious damage to the river on whose banks Delhi
grew, the Yamuna. Besides human and environmental damage, pollution has caused economic
damage as well; Delhi may have lost the competition to host the 2014 Asian Games because of
its poor environment. There is significant dispute over the extent of the city's green cover. City
authorities claimed in 2008 that the green cover had increased from 26 km2 to 300 km2;
moreover, the Delhi Forest Act stipulated that for every felled tree ten saplings need to be
planted. Critics point out that the data as well as the meaning of "green cover" are unclear. The
actual increase may be only half of what was claimed, and there are estimates that some 100,000
trees had been cut in Delhi, due in part to the construction of the Delhi Metro and the Delhi Bus
Rapid Transit System.
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is charged with providing "lung spaces." Of the city's
44,777 hectares, 8,422 hectares are reserved for "the Greens", of which the DDA manages more
than 5050 hectares.There is a policy for afforestation, atmospheric pollution, bio-medical waste,
domestic refuse, and water and sewage treatment. Additionally, there are action plans to
encourage public participation in environmental problems.
Given the continued growth of the city and its population, problems are tackled only with
difficulty—for instance, the Yamuna clean-up projects spent $500 million between 1993 and
2005, yet the river's pollution actually doubled during this same period. Odd-Even Traffic
Scheme: To tackle rising air pollution in Delhi, the Government of Delhi has come up with a
controversial odd-even traffic scheme. The first phase was in January 2016 for the first 15 days
in the month. The second phase was from April 15 to April 30.According to the notification
issued by the government, from 8 am to 8 pm, vehicles with odd registration numbers will be
allowed to ply on odd dates and those with even registration numbers would be plying on even
dates. There was no restriction on any vehicle on Sundays. According to Delhi Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal, if the scheme is a success, then it can be replicated every month,
though no criteria of success or of failure of the scheme have ever been decided. It was declared
on 9th November, 2017 that in view of the Smog situation prevalent in the NCR region, the Odd-
Even rule would be implemented again, starting 13th November and ending on 17th November.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
With passage of time, the human knowledge increased and man started making efforts for
leading a more comfortable life. The progress of man from the primitive stage to the
technological stage, has brought him face to face with the global environment problems of

1) Ecological Decay
2) Resource Depletion and
3) Environment Pollution
Some of the major environmental concens facing the world today include greenhouse effect and
global warming, ozone depletion, urbanization and it associated problems, degradation of natural
resource, and disposal of waste. Most of these environmental problems are the consequences of
the changes brought about man’s intervention with the environment for the satisfaction of his
basic needs as well as his pursuit of more ambitious go goals.

OBJECTICVES
The major objectives of the Board are centred around the Pollution Control and the protection of
the environmental quality with sustainable development These are outlined as under:
1) Bring about all round improvement in the quality of the environment in the State by
effective implementation of the laws.
2) Control of pollution at source to the maximum extent possible with due regard to
technological achievement and economic viability as well as sensitivity of the receiving
environment. This objective is being fulfilled through laying down the disposal standards as well
as gaseous emission standards.
3) Identifications of sites and development of procedures and methods for the max reuse,
recycle and then disposal of hazardous wastes.Maximisation of re-use and re-cycle of sewage
and trade effluent on land for irrigation and for industrial purpose after giving appropriate
treatment and thereby economising and saving on the use of water. The practice also helps in
stopping pollution of water due to reduction in discharges of waste into water bodies and the
receiving body
4) Minimisation of adverse effect of pollution by selecting suitable locations for the
establishment of new industrial projects/estate.
5) Co-ordination with other agencies of the State Government and local authorities to
encourage the Common Effluent Treatment Plants and Treatment Stabilisation Disposal
Facilities BMWF, 6) CHWIF, e-waste recycling facilities.
Close co-ordination and rapport with educational institutions, non government
organisations, Industries Associations, Government organisations, etc. to create environmental
awareness and make ready the work force of tomorrow to handle the environmental load is the
right maner.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ADOPTED

The research methodology adopted by the researcher of this project is analytical and several
articles, book, magazines and law journals have been referred to make the project. It is also seen
that the data used or mentioned in the project match to the latest statistical data.

CHAPTERISATION
 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND IT’S CONTROL - Pollution
prevention is a major global concern because of the harmful effects of pollution on a
person’s health and on the environment. Environmental pollution comes in various forms,
such as: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, etc.
Everyone is a stakeholder as we are all inhabitants of this one and only mother earth. Each
person can contribute something to advance environmental pollution mitigation measures.
Environmental protection means caring for our resources and subsequently for ourselves and
ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come will have a better environment.
“If we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.” – Wangari Maathai
You and I should therefore accept personal responsibility for the success of the environmental
protection programs of our respective community by cooperating and actively participating in
making the atmosphere pollution free. Help stop pollution today. Although on an individual
basis, we can help combat pollution in our own immediate environment, efficient control can be
best institutionalized through legislation. Thus, most countries have already addressed the issue
by passing some form of pollution prevention measures.
 CONTROLLING VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION: A CASE STUDY OF
DELHI- The present paper is an attempt to examine the trend in the level of
environmental pollution in Delhi and measures taken to control it. The data have been
analyzed from various secondary sources of data. The analysis reveals that rapid
population growth continues to be a matter of concern as it has manifold effects, one of
the most important being environmental pollution. Densely populated and rapidly
growing Delhi mega city is often entombed in a pall of pollution from vehicles, sewage
and liquid wastes generated by human settlement and uncontrolled pollution from
industries. The recent pollution control measures taken by central government reduced
the environmental pollution up to some extent.

 WATER POLLUTION AND IT’S CONTROL- Water is one of the most

important natural resources. Even though more than two-third of the earth is covered with
water, less than 3% is available to all living organisms for their use. This includes us
humans, animals, plants and every other organism. But as per current scenario, humans
have exploited this resource to such an extent that reversing the effects of water pollution
has become almost impossible.
So what is water pollution? According to Wikipedia, “Water pollution is the contamination of
water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater). Water pollution occurs when
pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies without adequate treatment to
remove harmful compounds. Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies
of water. In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and
populations, but also to the natural biological communities.”

 DOMESTIC SEWAGE AND INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS- In the present

study, various physico-chemical factors were assessed for the whole year (Jan 2009-Dec
2010), to determine the impact of domestic sewage and industrial effluents on the water
quality of the Khan river. Physico-chemical factors like pH, temperature, conductivity,
ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, sulphate, phosphate, total hardness, calcium hardness, chloride,
BOD, COD, Ca, Na and K were found with maximum concentration during premonsoon.
While, concentration of total solids, total suspended solids and DO was maximum during
monsoon. The positive correlation was observed among all the physico-chemical factors
 except DO. The study reveals that the huge influx of domestic sewage and industrial
effluent are the key factors enhancing pollution load in the Khan River.
 COMPARATIVE STUDY- After studying all the types of pollutions we can
conclude that every type of pollution is harmful for the environment and with these
pollution activities the environment is getting degrading and many harmful diseases are
happening. With all the activities of pollution many people are facing problems like eyes
irritation and skin problems. With these pollution, the environment is affecting every
badly and the level of global warming is increasing and the ozone layer is depleting. In
Delhi, after Diwali festival the level of pollution has arose even after banning the fire
crackers in Delhi.
 CONCLUSION- The conclusion is that the nation should do something that the
pollution level should come down and it should not affect the people and the
environment. And to save the future and our family members from the diseases we
should try our best to control the pollution by using CNG cars and using public transport
and avoid fire crackers and other fire activitites.

 BIBLOGRAPHY-
The History of Sanitary Sewers
Timeline of waste, University of St. Andrews
London’s ‘Great Stink’ and Victorian Urban Planning by Martin
Daunton, BBC History.
WWW.GOOGLE.COM
WWW.INDIANPOLLUTION.COM

LITERATURE REVIEW
1) The polluters: The making of our Chemically Altered Environment, 2003
2) Toxic wastes and race at twenty: why race still matters after all of these Years,
2007
3) Deceit and Denial: The deadly politics of industrial pollution, 2005
4) http://www.environmentpollution.com/airwater