Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986

This act is an over encompassing act which provides the central government with vast powers to

1. Set new national standards for the quality of environment (ambient standards) as well as standards of controlling effluents and emissions
2. Regulate industrial locations
3. Make rules to regulate environmental pollution
4. Prescribe procedure for managing hazardous substances
5. Establishing safeguards preventing accidents
6. Collect and disseminate information regarding environmental pollution
7. Close, prohibit or regulate any industry operation or processes to stop or regulate the supply of electricity
8. Provision of penalty
9. Issue directions
10. Appoint officers with such designations as it thinks fit for the purpose of this act

This act was implemented in aftermath of Bhopal Gas Tragedy and to implement the decisions taken at United Nations conference on the Human Environment held at Stockholm in June 1972.

Various governments have utilized the provisions of this act to make rules and regulations, which has made significant contribution in preserving environment of this country. Few examples are

1. Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986
2. Coastal Regulation Zones Regulations
3. Eco Marks Scheme
4. Eco Sensitive Zones (Very important)
5. Environmental Clearances
6. Setting up of Environmental Labs
7. Hazardous substance management
8. Prevention of Loss of Ecology
9. Rules regarding Ozone Layer Depletion

The advantage of EPA is that it provides government to make rules regarding new challenges, and there is no need to go to the parliament again and again.