India Water Portal has recently uploaded a set of important policies and laws. This collection pertains to climate change, environment, disaster management and more.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) - Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change (2008)
This document published by the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change (Government of India), aims at creating awareness among the representatives of the public, different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and the community as a whole, on the threat posed by climate change and the steps proposed at the level of India to counter these changes.
The document describes the principles and the Eight National Missions that form the core of the NAPCC, which represents a multi-pronged, long-term and integrated approach for achieving key goals in the context of climate change. The document describes India's willingness and desire, as a responsible member of the global community to cooperate in all efforts at climate change mitigation and argues that future international cooperation on climate change should aim at:
* Minimising the negative impacts of climate change through suitable adaptation methods
* Fairness and equity in action and measures
* Common, but differentiated responsibilities in actions to be taken
The document can be accessed from this link
National Environment Policy (NEP) - Ministry of Environment and Forests (2006)
The National Environment Policy (NEP) by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) aims at mainstreaming environmental concerns into all developmental activities. It emphasises conservation of resources, and points that the best way to aid conservation is to ensure that people dependent on resources obtain better livelihoods from conservation, than from degradation of the resources. It argues that environmental degradation often leads to poverty and poor health outcomes among populations.
The document can be accessed from this link
Kerala state disaster management policy - Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (2009)
This document highlights the vulnerable status of the state in terms of natural disasters and highlights the urgent need for a disaster management strategy for the state.
The policy affirms appropriate balance and interrelationship with the ‘National Policy on Disaster Management’ and ‘Disaster Management Act, 2005’ and also ensures coordination amidst all agencies related to Disaster Management. The document goes on to describe the objectives of the policy and the details of the stakeholders that will be involved in the process of implementation of the policy and the steps or phases involved while managing disasters.
The document can be accessed from this link
The environment protection rules - Ministry of Environment and Forests (1986)
This document provides information on the environment protection rules in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6 and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1906 (29 of 1986). The document goes on to describe the mechanism for implementation of the rules of the Act.
The document can be accessed from this link
The environment protection act - Ministry of Environment and Forests (1986,2001,2005)
The document provides the details of the Environment Protection Act (1986) and includes:
• Information on the short title, extend and commencement of the Act
• Definitions of terms included in the Act
• General powers of the central government in implementing the Act
• Appointment of officers and their powers and functions
• Power of central government to give directions
• Rules to regulate environmental pollution
• Details of rules for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution
The document can be accessed from this link
The national environment appellate authority act - Ministry of Environment and Forests (1997)
This document provides the details of the Act made to provide for the establishment of a National Environment Appellate Authority that will hear appeals with respect to restriction of areas in which any industries, operations or processes or class of industries, operations or processes shall not be carried out or shall be carried out subject to certain safeguards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and for other matters concerned therewith.
The document can be accessed from this link
The national environment tribunal act - Ministry of Environment and Forests (1995)
This document gives the details of the Act devised to provide for strict liability for damages arising out of any accident occurring while handling any hazardous substance and for the establishment of a National Environment Tribunal for effective and expeditious disposal of cases arising from such accident, with a view to giving relief and compensation for damages to persons, property and the environment and for matters connected therewith.
The document describes the details of the Act in terms of:
• Definitions of terms in the Act
• The issue of compensation for the death of or injury to a person and damage to property and environment
• Establishment of the National Environment Tribunal
• Jurisdiction and proceedings of the tribunal
• Head under which compensation for damages can be claimed
The document can be accessed from this link
The national green tribunal bill - Ministry of Environment and Forests (2009)
The document describes the details of the process of implementation of the bill and includes:
• Short title and commencement o f the bill
• Definitions of the terms used in the bill
• Details of the establishment of a Tribunal known as the National Green Tribunal to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on the Tribunal by the bill
• Jurisdiction, powers and proceedings of the Tribunal
• Details of the penalty for failure to comply with the orders of the Tribunal
The document can be accessed from this link
Coastal zone management - Department of Ecology and Environment (Government of Karnataka) (1991)
This document describes the Karnataka coastal zone management plan and the details of the authorities involved in the implementation of the plan.
The document goes on to describe the:
• Karnataka state coastal zone management plan
• Details of the Karnataka state coastal zone management authority
• District Coastal zone management committees
The document can be accessed from this link
Environment Policy of Sikkim - Department of Forests, Environment & Wildife (2010)
This document provides the details of the Environment Policy of Sikkim.
The document can be accessed from this link
Policy statement on environmental protection and conservation of resources - Department of Environment (Government of West Bengal) (1995)
This document provides the details of the policy statement on environmental protection and conservation of resources by the Government of West Bengal in the light of the environmental concerns emerging because of a large number of developmental projects starting in the state in the near future.
The document goes on to describe the features of the policy that include steps to prevent destruction of the environment in the context of the developmental activities in the state.
The document can be accessed from this link