After the Stockholm conference on Human Environment
on June,
1972, it was considered appropriate to have uniform
law all over country
for broad Environment problems endangering the heal
th and safety of
our people as well as of our flora and fauna. The W
ater (Prevention &
Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 is the first enactm
ent by the Parliament in
this direction. This is also the first specific and
comprehensive legislation
institutionalizing simultaneously the regulatory ag
encies for controlling
water pollution. The Pollution Control Board at the
Centre and in the
State came into being in terms of this Act.
According to the Article 51 A (g) it is the fundam
ental duty of every
citizen of India to protect and improve the natural
environment included
Forest, Lakes, Rivers and Wildlife and to have comp
assion for living
creatures.
Water Act is enacted with the aim of prevention an
d control of
Water Pollution in India. Pollution means contamina
tion of water or such
alteration of the Physical, Chemical or Biological
properties of water or
such discharge of any sewage or trade effluent or o
f any other liquid, gas
and Solid substance into water (whether directly or
indirectly) as may be
the case or is likely to create nuisance or render
such water harmful or
injurious to public health or safety or to domestic
, commercial,
industrial, agricultural or other legitimate uses,
or to the life and health
of animals or plant or of aquatic organizations.
Trade effluent includes any liquid or solid substa
nce which is
discharged from any premises used for carrying on a
ny industry
operation or process or treatment and disposal syst
em, other domestic
sewage.

To be updated