India’s journey toward environmental conservation is a complex narrative that bridges ancient wisdom with modern legislative necessity. While the 1970s marked a global awakening to ecological crises, India’s cultural roots have long recognized the interrelationship between humans and the natural elements of air, water, and land. Historical texts like Kautilya’s Arthashastra demonstrate that environmental regulation existed in the Indian subcontinent as early as 300 BCE. However, the contemporary framework was primarily catalyzed by international milestones, most notably the 1972 Stockholm Conference. This global shift prompted India to move beyond its original constitutional silence on the environment, leading to the landmark 42nd Amendment in 1976.
Mr. Ramakrishna Sarjerao Shenekar (Fri,) studied this question.