Environmental Audit Requirement by The National Assessment and Accreditation Council – A Step Towards Environmental Sustainability

Abstract:In Centre for Environmental Law, WWF-I vs U O I &Ors SC declared that Art 21 not only protects the human rights but it further casts an obligation upon human beings to protect and preserve a specie from becoming extinct; conservation and protection of environment is an inseparable part of right to life . The Public Trust Doctrine regards the State as the custodian of the common properties and natural resources and requires the State to safeguard them for human beings, flora, fauna etc . All institutions of State are under the constitutional duty to improve the quality of environment in all ways. We have a variety of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)- universities, institutions of national importance, research, scientific, technical and professional educational institutions apart from under graduate and post graduate institutions.Theyoccupy a considerable space in our environment. Many of them, particularly the hi end institutions are housed in huge buildings that have cleared the natural environment or have at the least severely intruded into the natural environment of the places where they have risen. Most of them have number of lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, hostels, workshops, computer labs, lifts, sport facilities and so on. Usage of vehicles, computers, large number of electronic goods, water, paper, electricity, chemicals, tissues other resources by these institutions do attract audit and mitigation. The regulating authorities must nudge the educational institutions towards fashioning their activities in such a way that strengthens environmental sustainability