NCRB Findings on Environmental Crimes

NCRB Findings on Environmental Crimes

Question: India has experienced a surge in the prevalence of green crimes. Environment related crimes have recently been compiled by NCRB for the first time in India. Discuss the findings of the NCRB with respect to environmental crimes.

- India has reported close to 5,800 environment related crimes in the past year

- Maximum number of violations were for cutting trees illegally and transiting forest produce without permission

- Offenders were found to be in violation of the Forest Act 1927

- Figures pertaining to environment related crimes was compiled for the first time by NCRB

- Major finding was that over 8,600 persons were arrested in association with violation of environment related laws in 2014-2015

- 1349 persons were arrested for violation of the Wildlife Protection Act

- 134 persons were arrested for violating the Environment Protection Act 125 for the Air Pollution Act and 38 under the Water Pollution Act

- Maximum number of cases were reported under the Forest Act (4901) followed by the Wildlife Protection Act (770) and the Environment Protection Act (101). The lowest number of cases reported was under Water Pollution Act (15) followed by Air Pollution Act(48)

- Rajasthan had the maximum number of cases totalling 2927 followed by UP(1597), Karnataka (249), HP (150) and Jharkhand (287) with HP recording low number of cases (238)

Facts and Stats

Laws which come under the environmental category include

- Forest Act 1927,

- Wildlife Protection Act 1972,

- Environment (Protection) Act 1986,

- Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981

- Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974.

- NCRB has found that maximum number of arrests totalling 7038 were found under the law violation of the Forest Act 1927