Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 · Chapter I: Preliminary · Sections
Section 2: Definitions
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(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;
(b) "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;
(c) " environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental pollutant;
[(ca) "Fund" means the Environmental Protection Fund established under section 16;]
(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;
(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;
(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;
(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 14 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 2
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The State of Telangana & Ors. v. Mohd. Abdul Qasim (Died) Per LRs.
High Court whether justified in passing the impugned order in review petition in favour of the plaintiff-respondent despite him not proving his title over the suit property (forest land), setting aside the concurrent…
- M.K. Ranjitsinh & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
- Anirudh Kumar v. Municipal Corporation of Delhi & Ors.
- M. Nizamuddin v. M/S. Chemplast Sanmar Ltd. and Ors.
- In Re: Noise Pollution - Implementation of the Laws for Restricting Use of Loudspeakers and High Volume Producing Sound Systems v. .
- A.P. Pollution Control Board-Ii v. Prof. M.V. Nayudu (Retd.) and Ors.
- Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India