Section 2 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 – Definitions

Section 2: Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,–

(a) “environment” includes water, air and land and the inter-relationship which exists among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism and property;
(b) “environmental pollutant” means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;
(c) ” environmental pollution” means the presence in the environment of any environmental pollutant; 1[(ca) “Fund” means the Environmental Protection Fund established under section 16;]
(d) “handling”, in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment, package, storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale, transfer or the like of such substance;
(e) “hazardous substance” means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its chemical or physico-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings, other living creatures, plants, micro-organism, property or the environment;
(f) “occupier”, in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the affairs of the factory or the premises and includes, in relation to any substance, the person in possession of the substance;
(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act.

Source: official text of The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as published on India Code (PDF). All sections of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.