The Ministry of Environment & Forests started functioning from 4th January, 1985. The Ministry plans, promotes and co-ordinates 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 degraded areas, protection of the environment and research related to these topics. The tasks are being fulfilled through environmental impact assessment, eco-regeneration, assistance to organisations implementing environmental and forestry research, extension, education and training to augment the requisite manpower, collection and dissemination of environmental information and creation of awareness at the national level.

The Ministry is dealing with the following subjects:

• Environment and ecology, including environment in coastal water. in mangroves and coral reefs, but excluding marine environment on the high seas;

• Botanical Survey of India and Botanical Gardens,:

• Zoological Survey of India,

• National Museum of Natural History;

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act. 1977,
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

• The Indian Forest Act, 1927,

• The National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995-, The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972;

• The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;

• The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 199 1;
• Biosphere Reserve Programme;

• National Forest Policy and Forestry Development in the Country, including Social Forestry,

• Forest Policy and all matters relating to forests and forest administration in so far as the Andaman and Nicobar Inslands are concerned.-.

• Indian Forest Services,

• Wildlife preservation and protection of wild birds and animals-, Central Zoo Authority,

• Fundamental research, including co-ordination thereof and higher education in forestry; Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park.

• National Assistance to Forestry Development Schemes; Central River Conservation Directorate;

• The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997;

• Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute, Bangalore-, Forest Survey of India. Dehradun,

• National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board: and Desert and Desertification.

The Ministry has four main wings, namely;

1. Environment
2. Forests & Wildlife;
3. National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board;
4. National River Conservation Directorate.

Six regional offices of the Ministry which are located at Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar., 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 safeguards laid down by the Ministry for project activities where environmental clearance is given.

The Ministry has also the following subordinate offices:

1. Botanical Survey of India;
2. Zoological Survey of India;

(iii) National Museum of Natural History;

(iv) Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy;

(v) State Forest Services & Rangers Colleges;

(vi) Forest Survey of India; and

(vii) National Zoological Park.

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

i) Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi.

ii) G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Almord.

iii) Centres of Excellence:

1. Centre for Environment Education. Ahmedabad.
2. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bangalore.
3. Centre of Mining Environment, Dhanbad.
4. C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Centre for Environment Education. Madras.
5. Salim Ali Centre of Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore.
6. Centre for Environmental Management of degraded Eco-system, Delhi University.
7. Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.

Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education (ICFRE) has 8 institutes and three satellite centres spread all over tile country'. Each centre is attached to an institute. Following are institutes and centres of ICFRE:

(i) Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.

- Centre for Social Forestry & Eco-rehabilitation, Allahabad.

(ii) Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bangalore.

- Advanced Centre for Bio-technology & Mangrove Forests, Hyderabad

(iii) Institute of Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding. Coimbatore.

(iv) Tropical Forest & Research Institute. Jabalpur.

- Institute of Forestry Research & Human Resource Development, Chhindwara.

5. Arid Zone Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur.

(vi) Institute of Rain and Moist Deciduous Forest Research, Jorhat.

(vii) Temperate Forest Research Centre. Shimla.

(viii) Centre for Forest ProductivitY. Ranchi.

(b) Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute. Bangalore.

(c) Indian Institute of Forest Management. Bhopal. (c)

3. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
4. Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.

The Ministry' also has one Public Sector Undertaking viz. Andaman & Nicobar Forest Plantation Development Corporation at Port Blair.