Legislation on Environment Protection

we as men are an integral part of the natural ecosystem and are not above or outside it. We have developed the ability to modify our environment and now must develop the will, the understanding and power to preserve it.This ought to be with the public consciousness. As we are aware, most societies seem willing to sacrifice environmental quality for the sake of economic growth.This is very dangerous.The question which arises therefore, is how to strike a balance between the benefits gained from economic and technical achievements and the loss in terms of deterioration of the environment? In other words, how to find a balance between rapid economic growth and environmental pollution.

The problem of pollution could not be solved by a single discipline or a single institution. It is a multi-dimensional and multi-institutional problem.The problem is to ecologise technical and technological progress.

Even the government or State, we find, is a polluter in one way e.g. chlorinated water in the taps or spraying of DDT for eradication of malaria is merely additive or chlorinated hydrocarbons for the ecological system.

Some pollutants are deliberately discharged in the environment whereas some by accident. Some pollutants can be pin-pointed, others remain untraceable. Some pollutants maintain their chemical integrity for decades while others are degraded in the matter of hours or days.

Some pollutants are not directly harmful but can harm the eco-system indirectly by consuming oxygen for their'Oxidation process'.The oxidation of chemical and organic matters depletes the quantum of environmental oxygen. Domestic wastes are less harmful than industrial wastes as the former only include polyphosphates and nitrogeneous compounds, while the latter includes heavy metals, radio-active nuclides, inorganic chemicals and heated water.

Up till now there have been so many discoveries regarding the long-term effects of chemicals in the environment and still more unknown.

Environmental legislation is a must and should be imposed on every nation and every society. It is doing it's work and is effective in certain countries.It's credibility is questionable in others though, where questions arise like_

1.Could legislation lay down the norms to curb pollution, when society fails to interact in a balancing manner.

2.Could legislation lay down the norms when legislation itself becomes a contributor to pollution e.g. creating tax-free zones for electronic and radio-active industries in the name of a welfare state(true in India).

Legislative environmental measures could take many forms as to bring about effective results-

1.They may be regulatory setting forth controls on industrial processes, prohibitions on the use of certain chemicals.

2.They may be in the laws of nature of taxes. Such laws could help minimize pollution by giving incentive to those who adopt pollution control method(by using machinery or plant which assists in control of pollution or protection of environment).

3.The government should endeavour to protect and improve the environment by safeguarding the forests and wildlife in it's country.

4.Water pollution, wildlife, forests, antiquities, urban land, insecticides and radiation should all be checked and controlled.

Environmental problems in developing countries are resulting directly from under development so therefore, underlying socio-economic factors contributing to environmental deterioration should be tackled while dealing with them. Environmental protection will only succeed when it is balanced by progress in satisfaction of basic human needs. Wide gaps should not exist between what is provided for in legislation on one hand and socio-economic realities on the other. Law has to remain close to reality and at the same time direct society to move in the interest of it'd own survival.