Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different areas.

Definitions.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

1. (a) "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property;
2. (b) "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;
3. (c) " environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental pollutant; [1][(ca) "Fund" means the Environmental Protection Fund established under section 16;]
4. (d) "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment, package, storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale, transfer or the like of such substance;
5. (e) "hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its chemical or physico-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism, property or the environment;
6. (f) "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the affairs of the factory or the premises and includes, in relation to any substance, the person in possession of the substance;
7. (g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.