BHADERWAH: To celebrate ‘World Environment Day, 2023’, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Bhaderwah today organised an awareness programme and plantation drive in the premises of New District Court Complex Sarna Bhaderwah here today under the Chairmanship and direction of Secretary ( Sub Judge ) DLSA Bhaderwah Romesh Lal .
The awareness program and plantation drive was organized by DLSA Bhaderwah in collaboration with the forest division Bhaderwah led by DFO Bhaderwah Ayoub Khan and during the programme, Panel Lawyer Advocate Mohd Majid Malik deliberated upon various aspects of the topic. Panel Lawyer Advocate Mohd Majid Malik informed that environment (Protection) Act, 1986 authorizes the central government to protect and improve environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources, and prohibit or restrict the setting and /or operation of any industrial facility on environmental grounds.
The Environment (Protection) Act was enacted in 1986 with the objective of providing for the protection and improvement of the environment. It empowers the Central Government to establish authorities charged with the mandate of preventing environmental pollution in all its forms and to tackle specific environmental problems that are peculiar to different parts of the country. The Act was last amended in 1991, Advocate Mohd Majid Malik said .
He also said that Article 48 -A of the constitution says that “the state shall endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country”.He informed that Part IV-A of the constitution deals with Fundamental Duties. Article 51-A(g) specifically deals with the fundamental duty of the citizens to protect and improve the natural environment which includes forests, rivers, lakes, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.
Like the duty of the state, it is the duty of all the citizens of not only protecting the environment but also taking measures which are adequate enough to improve the environment. He also informed that the Environment (Protection) Rules lay down procedures for setting standards of emission or discharge of environmental pollutants . He said that to have a healthy environment is so essential because a healthy environment promotes good health of the greater number which leads to less diversion of resources or spending of the huge amount of money on the treatment of the people., Advocate Mohd Majid Malik informed . Among others, the programme was attended by PLVs, students, staff members of DFO office Bhaderwah and staff members of DLSA Bhaderwah . Later, a pledge ceremony was held wherein participants pledged to save the environment.