The Government of India has been increasingly concerned about the control of environmental pollution specially due to industrial activities. This is evident from the pollution control legislation enacted by the Parliament and follow-up programmes for their implementation. These programmes involve three different approaches, namely,

(i) tackling of the pollutants;
(ii) tackling of the polluted areas; and
(iii) tackling of the polluting sources.

Direct control of the pollutants includes the reduction of lead content in motor spirit, controlling mercury pollution from caustic soda industries, improved house-keeping for controlling discharge of heavy metals, like chromium and nickel, in electroplating industries etc. Controlling polluted areas necessitates an integrated approach towards environmental management through control at source, which in turn involves concerted efforts in evolving time-targeted action plans, and their implementation through various agencies concerned. The third approach involves securing compliance with the effluent/emission standards prescribed in respect of the polluting industries.

The Central Board has been actively involved in developing the sectorwise standards at national level, for effluents and emissions from different polluting industrial sectors, and formulating nation-wide programmes for their effective implementation. The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) have been persuading the industries since the enactment of the Water & Air Acts and rules thereof to make them comply with the standards. In addition to this, National level programmes for control of discharges/emissions from polluting industries have also been taken up. The details of these programmes and the status of implementation of these programmes are presented in the following sections.