Andhra Pradesh Assembly adopts Central amendment Act on water pollution
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has adopted the Central Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024. The legislation replaces criminal penalties for minor technical violations with structured financial fines.
Why it matters
This shift reflects a broader policy trend in India toward decriminalizing minor administrative offenses to improve the ease of doing business.
The Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution for adoption of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, of the Government of India. It is aimed at fostering trust-based governance, ease of living, and ease-of-doing business.
The Act, initially applied to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and all Union Territories after the President gave assent to it on February 15, 2024, is to be adopted by other States.
The amendment Act replaced rigid criminal penalties for minor administrative and technical violations with structured financial penalties.
Introducing the resolution on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment & Forests K. Pawan Kalyan, Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar said minor non-compliances and contraventions were now subjected to financial penalties ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, along with additional daily fines of up to ₹10,000 for ongoing violations.
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