Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of India.
3. (3) It shall come into force on such date 1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different areas.

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.