• Chiranjeeb Biswas

The environment refers to all conditions and their effects that affect a person's life anytime, anywhere. The environment can be defined as a whole of all conditions and effects that affect the development of life of an organism. The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) was enacted in 1986 to protect and improve the environment. The quality of the environment has declined since the 1960s. This has led to increased pollution, loss of plant coatings, excessive concentrations of harmful chemicals in the atmosphere, and threats to life-support systems. Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that needs can be met not only in the present, but also in the indefinite future. It implies using renewable natural resources in a manner which does not eliminate or degrade them or otherwise diminish their usefulness for future generations. It further implies using nonrenewable mineral resources in a manner which does not unnecessarily deprive future generations from easy access to them. It is gratifying to note that during the past decade or so, economists have become increasingly aware of the importance of environmental issues for the success of development efforts. It is now recognized that the interaction between poverty and environmental degradation can result in a self perpetuating process in which, as a result of ignorance or economic necessity, people may destroy or exhaust the resources which are vital for their very survival. Deterioration of the environment can further slow the pace of economic development by imposing high costs in terms of medical costs and reducing resource productivity. Not only that, the severe environmental degradation caused by population pressure on marginal areas is responsible for the decline in agricultural productivity and per capita food production, which is harmful to the poor. They also suffer from the lack of sanitation and safe drinking water, which is believed to be responsible for 80% of the world's illnesses. Therefore, there is growing consensus among economists that environmental considerations and costs should be an integral part of policy initiatives to ensure environmentally sustainable growth. Damage to soil, water supplies and forests caused by unsustainable production methods has contributed significantly to the long-term decline in national productivity. Similarly, rapid population growth and expanding economic activity in developing countries tends to cause widespread environmental damage unless appropriate measures are taken to control their harmful effects.

pollution, water pollution, solid urban waste, soil degradation, deforestation, loss of bio-diversity.

"Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 11, page no.159-165, November-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1811C71.pdf

"Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in India", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 11, page no. pp159-165, November-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1811C71.pdf