Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?

Q: What is UPSC Prelims?

UPSC Prelims is a competitive examination conducted in India. This question is from the 2022 UPSC Prelims Environment & Ecology paper.

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This UPSC Prelims 2022 Environment & Ecology question has a medium difficulty level and is marked as an important question.

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Question

Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: C — Central Ground Water AuthorityStep-by-step Solution:The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) was constituted under sub-section (3) of Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Central Government, exercising its powers under this provision to take necessary measures for protecting and improving the quality of the environment and preventing environmental pollution, established CGWA for the purposes of regulation and control of ground water development and management in the country.CGWA functions: (1) Regulates extraction of groundwater through No Objection Certificate (NoC) system; (2) Classifies areas as 'over-exploited,' 'critical,' 'semi-critical,' or 'safe' based on groundwater levels; (3) Issues guidelines and directions for sustainable groundwater use; (4) Oversees rainwater harvesting mandates; (5) Regulates groundwater use by industry, infrastructure projects, and mining.Why other options are incorrect:Option A (Central Water Commission): The Central Water Commission (CWC) was established under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It is a premier technical organisation advising on water resources development (dams, rivers, irrigation) — NOT constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986.Option B (Central Ground Water Board): The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is a scientific organisation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti that assesses, monitors, and manages groundwater resources. It was constituted under the Ground Water Development Scheme (NOT under the Environment Protection Act).Option D (National Water Development Agency): NWDA is an organisation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti responsible for studying and preparing feasibility reports for the National Perspective Plan for water resources development — NOT constituted under the Environment Protection Act.Key Concept: Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: Umbrella legislation for environmental protection in India; enacted after Bhopal gas tragedy (1984); empowers Central Government to take measures to protect environment; bodies constituted under it include: CGWA (Central Ground Water Authority); Environment Protection Rules 1986; various environment quality standards (air, water, noise, hazardous waste). Section 3 of EPA gives the Central Government broad powers to issue directions and constitute authorities for environmental protection.

Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?

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Which one of the following has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986?

Master UPSC Prelims with Our Test Series

More Questions from Environmental Laws – EPA, Forest Act, Wildlife Protection Act

Frequently Asked Questions