Crime in India report released by the National Crime Records Bureau

Subject – Governance

Context – Cases of environment offences rose in 2020, but there’s a catch

Concept –

The Crime in India report released by the National Crime Records Bureau for 2020 indicates that the number of cases registered for environment-related offences has increased compared to the previous year. In 2020, 61,767 such cases were registered, compared to 34,676 in 2019 and 35,196 in 2018.
Till 2017, offences under Noise Pollution Acts and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act were not included under environment-related offences. From 2017, when both categories began to be factored in as offences pertaining to the environment, maximum number of cases in the environment category were registered under these acts.
In 2017, maximum number of offences (29,659) was under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act.
- Sections under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, include prohibition of smoking in a public place, prohibition of advertisement of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and prohibition of sale of these products to persons below the age of 18.
- It lays down the manner in which warnings are to be made and sets out punishments for smoking in certain places, and advertisements.
In 2020, 80.5% of environment-related cases were under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (49,710).
- This was followed by 7,318 cases (11.8%) under Noise Pollution Acts.

To know about Environment related offences under NCRB, please read September month DPN.