CHAPTER - I

INTRODUCTION

I. FUNCTIONS

The Ministry of Environment & Forests started functioning from 4^th January, 1985. The Ministry plans, promotes and coordinates environmental and forestry programmes. The Ministry’s main activities include conservation and survey of flora, fauna, forests and wildlife; prevention and control of pollution, afforestation and re-generation of degradable areas, protection of the environment and research related to these topics. The tasks are being fulfilled through environmental impact assessment, eco-re-generation; assistance to organizations implementing environmental and forestry research; extension, education and training to augment the requisite man-power collection. collation, storage and dissemination of environmental information, and creation of awareness at the national level.

The following subjects have been allotted to this Ministry:

• Environment and ecology, including environment in coastal water, mangroves and coral reefs, but excluding marine environment on the high seas;
• Botanical Survey of India;
• Zoological Survey of India;
• National Museum of Natural History;
• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
• The Indian Forest Act, 1927
• The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, l960;
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 972;
• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
• PLJ Act, 1991;
• Biosphere Reserves Programmes;
• National Forest Policy and Forestry Development in the country, including Social Forestry;
• Forest policy and all matters relating to forest and forest administration in so far as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are concerned;
• Indian Forest Service;
• Wildlife preservation and protection of wild birds and animals;
• Fundamental research, including coordination thereof and higher education of Forestry;
• Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park; National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board
• National Assistance to Forestry Development Schemes;
• Central Ganga Authority;
• Prevention of cruelty to animals;
• Indian Plywood Institute Research Training Institute, Bangalore; and
• Central Zoo Authority.

II. ORGANISATION

The Ministry has three main wings, namely:

1. Environment & Forests;
2. National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board;
3. Ganga project Directorate.

1. Six regional offices of the Ministry which are located at Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Shillong and Chandigarh, perform the functions of monitoring and evaluation of on-going forestry development projects and schemes with specific emphasis on conservation of forests and follow up of implementation of conditions; and safeguard laid down by the Ministry for project activities where environmental clearance is given.
2. The National Afforetation and Eco-development Board (NAEB) was set up in August 1992 and is responsible for promoting afforestation, tree planting ecological restoration for eco-development activities in the country. Special attention is given to the regeneration of degraded forest areas and lands other adjoining forest areas national parks, sancturaries and other protected areas as well as the ecologically fragile areas Western Himalayas, Aravails, Western Ghats, etc.
3. The Ministry also has the following subordinate offices:—

1. Botanical Survey of India;
2. Zoological Survey of India;
3. National Museum of Natural History;
4. Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy;
5. State Forest Services & Rangers Colleges;
6. Forest Survey of India;
7. National zoological Park.

1. For the attainment of its objectives, the following autonomous bodies/registered societies have also been funded by the Ministry.

Environment & Ecology

1. Central Pollution Control Board
2. Govind Ballabh Pant Himalayan Paryavaran Evam Vikas Sansthan.
3. Centres of Excellence:

1. Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad.
2. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bangalore.
3. Centre on lining Environment, Dhanbad.
4. C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer Centre for Environment Education, Madras.
5. Salim Aii Centre of Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore.

Forest and Wildlife

1. Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE)

1. Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.
2. Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bangalore.
3. Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding, Coimbatore.
4. Tropical Forest & Research Institute, labalpur.
5. Arid Zone Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur.
6. Institute of Rain and Moist Deciduous Forest Research, Jorhat.
7. Temporate Forest Research Centre, Shimla.
8. Centre for Social Forestry and Eco-rehabilitation, Allahabad.
9. Centre for Forest Productivity, Ranchi.

1. Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute, Bangalore.
2. Indian Institute of Forest Managament, Bhopal.
3. Wildlife Institute of India, Deharadun
4. Animal Welfare Board of India, Madras
5. Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.

1. The Ministry also has one Public Sector Under-taking viz. Andaman & Nicobar Forest Plantation Development Corporation at Port Blair.