• Dr. C. MALLIGA

With the wide spread misuse and exploitation of natural resources resulting in ecological disturbances, the world has woken up to the environmental problems it faces in the advent of globalization. However, this realization has come late to our nation which has resulted in socio-economic stress and disruption of the environmental harmony all over the country. This has brought about a need for environmental planning and management to prevent over-exploitation and for optimum use of the limited natural resources available to us. It is also necessary towards the process of development and to provide a healthy environment to live in. balanced regional development is of utmost importance with special emphasis on development oriented planning in both the rural and urban sectors of our economy. This will help to keep the goal of environmental protection and conservation and the global objective of sustainable development at hand. However, poverty is rampant in our economy since pre-independence and has been a major challenge towards achieving environmental quality. Innovations and effective implementation of the regulations and policies that govern environmental issues in our country is one way to tackle these problems. The other option is environmental resource management by which, we refer to, efficient use of natural resources such as land, water and forests which are of primary importance to the employment industry, providing raw materials to the dependent industries and also act as a means of livelihood for 26.1 per cent of the population in India that lives below the poverty line. After independence, the structure of resource management had not changed, but extended. Where colonialism ended, the slogan of economic development stepped in. The only difference is that in Indian’s context, it is a matter of survival whereas for the developed nations, it is the matter of the quality of life. However, the magnitude of ecological destruction has an equal and far reaching effect in the present day. Today, we have not only to preserve and manage but also to sustain and restore our environment, because it is threatening our very existence. The need for environmental management is stressed by land degradation resulting from soil erosion by water and wind, salinization and alkalization, water logging, depletion of plant nutrients, organic matter, deterioration of soil structure and pollution. Efficient management has therefore become an necessity to avoid the over-use and abuse of the natural resources of the country. Environmental management is also essential for the minimization of the impact of human activities on the ecological environment.

Exploitation of natural resources, ecological disturbances, environmental planning, natural resources, environmental quality, etc.

"ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.125-129, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRBP06024.pdf

"ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp125-129, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRBP06024.pdf