WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS

IN INDIA

AND ME AND YOUBY

ANAND LAL MATHUR

TOPICS1. Water on Earth2. Importance of water3. Quality of Water4. Water pollution5. Combating the Problem of Water pollution

5.1 Interventions5.1.1 Primary (preventive and curative) interventions

5.1.2 Curative (primary) interventions 5.1.3 Punitive intervention

6. Pollution Control laws in India7. Application and implementation of Environmental Laws and

Rules8. Punishment on violation of Water Act-1974 and Environment

(Protection) Act-19869. What one can do?10. Individuals: Practice saving/conservation of Water

1. WATER ON EARTHTotal Volume of Water on Earth

1.386 billion km³

97.5 %

Salt Water in Oceans

2.5 %

Fresh WaterRemaining

water

Frozen ice at Poles,0.3 % is in liquid form

Small Fraction in liquid

form

Lakes, Rivers, And underground

Fresh water for drinking purpose

is < 0.35%

2. IMPORTANCE OF WATERWater is the most essential commodity to support the life system on planet earth.

A human being may survive for about 40 days without food but without water only 7 days.

3. QUALITY OF WATER

Water i.e. H2O

Changes in physical, chemical, biological constituents and the temperature of water beyond certain

limits render it unfit for intended use .

H2O +Impaired/unfit quality of Water

4. WATER POLLUTION

WATER POLLUTANTS

Pollutants in water may be present in any state of the matter viz. solid, liquid and in the form of heat energy

CAUSES OF POLLUTION

Natural Man-Made Man-induced-natural

Primary Secondary

5. COMBATING THE PROBLEM OF WATER POLLUTION

Complex natural system does correct the pollution problems, but its pace is very slow, may be thousands of years.

It simply indicates that once the quality of water resources get deteriorated beyond natural means, it becomes a burden on the society in particular.

5.1 INTERVENTIONS

Primary (preventive and curative) interventions

Secondary (Punitive)interventions

5.1.1 Primary (preventive and curative) Interventions

The need of the time is to develop primary interventions on the Concept of 5 R's viz.

ReduceReclaimRepairRecycleReuse of resources

REDUCE Requirements Resource consumption Waste Generation Race against time

REPAIR All repairable.

RECYCLE All resources reclaimed and/or repaired.

REUSE Maximum of the recycled resources.

5.1.2 Curative (primary) Interventions Waste Water Collection and Conveyance

Providing drains to be connected to a defined waste water outlet from the house.

RECLAIM All resources put out of use but not wasted.

WASTE WATER TREATMENT The waste water is to be given appropriate treatment depending upon the pollutants being in solution or suspension.

Screen and pumping

Raw waste water

Grit Chamber

PrimarySettling

Biological aeration basin or Fixed-

media filters

Sludge drying bed or vacuum filtration

Final Settling

Disinfection by chlorination/UV

rays/Ozone

Treated waste water for disposal on land/in a water body/ Recycle

for gainful reuse

Fig. Waste water treatment plant

6. POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS IN INDIA

Prior to the year 1974, following acts were considered to control over the problem of pollution in India:

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 The Civil Procedure Code The Factories Act, 1948 The Criminal Procedure Code, 1973

A SCENE BEFORE 1974

Also at regional levels many acts were introduced to prevent the fouling of water and these acts were:

Calcutta Municipal Act, 1951 The Orissa River Pollution Prevention Act, 1953 Maharashtra State’s most comprehensive Act called Maharashtra Water

Pollution Control Act 1970

However, water pollution as a subject matter of legislation found place in law books of India as late as 1973.

A SCENARIO SINCE 1974

In India, the following Acts and rules are in force for the prevention and control of water pollution, implemented by the concerned SPCB:

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974(amended till date) Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977(amended till date) Public (Liability) Insurance Act, 1991(amended till date) Environment (Protection) Act, 1986(amended till date) Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986(amended till date)

7. APPLICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND RULESThese laws are applicable to entire Rajasthan.

Act Purpose Regulated by

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (amended till date)

Consent to Establish and Consent to operate under sections 25/26 for the discharge of effluents as per

standards

Central/State Pollution

Control Board

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

(amended till date)

Prior Environmental Clearance(EC) under EIA notification number S.O. 1533 (E) dated 14.09.2006 under

which designated 39 projects/activities grouped in 8 broad categories (amended to

date)

SEIAA, constituted by

the Government of India

8. PUNISHMENT ON VIOLATION OF WATER ACT-1974 AND ENVIRONMENT (PROTECTION) ACT-1986Violation of various provisions of Water Act-1974 and Environment (Protection) Act-1986 attract criminal action against the organization and responsible management persons.

ActAction and concerned

authorityRegulated

by Penalty

Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (amended till date)

Prosecution for violation of the act.

CPCB/SPCBthrough

the Courts of law

Imprisonment (1.5 to 7 yrs.) or financial penalty (Rupees Ten

thousand, additional fine of Rs ten thousand per day) or both.

Issuing directions u/s 33A for closer/ regulating the process/activity/ industry; disconnection of supply of electricity, water and any other services.

CPCB/SPCB None

ActAction and

concerned authorityRegulated by Penalty

Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (amended till date).

Prosecution for violation of the act.

1. CPCB/SPCB through the Courts of law

2. Any person after serving a notice of 60 days, through courts of law

Imprisonment (5 yrs. extendable to 7 yrs.) with financial penalty (Rs.1.00 lakh, additional fine Rs 5.00 thousand per day) or both.

Issuing directions u/s 5 for closer/regulating the process/activity/ industry; disconnection of supply of electricity, water and any other services.

Central Government or State Government or any officer authorized by the Central Government, through the courts of law.

None

Punishment on violation of Water Act-1974 and Environment (protection) Act-1986

9. ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS AND PREPARING EIA REPORT

Each and every man-managed activity exerts some positive or negative impact on the environment.

Impact of Man-managed activity on Environment

Positive Negative

The term “No Impact” is misnomer. Any impact, which is ignored, generally the negative impact, could at most be considered as no-impact. Precisely, no-impact cannot be achieved.

10. WHAT ONE CAN DO?

MAXIMUM DAILY WATER REQUIREMENT OF AN URBAN ADULT

S. No. Purpose Volume of Water

1. Teeth cleaning (three times a day) 02.0 liters

2. Drinking 04.0 liters

3. Cooking and washing utensils 09.0 liters

4. Bathing + washing basic cloths 15.0 liters

5. Water-based sanitation (Flush type latrines used twice a day) 20.0 liters

50.0 liters

Per day

1 2 3

456

DOS

Discard the use of bathtub.

Discard the use of fully automatic washing machines.

Discard detergents for the washing of cloths and utensils.

Never continue teeth cleaning and/or shaving activities with running tap wasting water.

Use three to four mug-full (2 liters) water while cleaning your vehicles etc.

Collect and use cloth and utensil wash/rinse water for flushing toilets and water closets.

Plenty of water is and will remain available in hydrological cycle; however, it may not be available to meet your requirements at desired place and at particular time. Hence, conservation is the only key to ensure availability of water on sustained basis. Water alone is necessary to meet food requirements of any biota be it plant or animal.

10.1 INDIVIDUALS: PRACTICE SAVING/CONSERVATION OF WATER

Population of Jaipur is around 30 Lac Souls

saving of only 1.0 liter of water everyday

saving of 30.00 Lac liters of water per day

Fulfill needs of 60,000 persons every day@50

litres/person/day

Meets water requirements of an individual for about

164.4 years @ 50.00 lpd