The Fundamental Duty to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures is stated in:

Clause (g) of Article 51A requires every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Meaning of the duty:

• Citizens must avoid polluting air, water and land.
• They must protect forests and wildlife and treat animals with kindness.
• The duty is about both protecting and actively improving the environment.

The matching Directive Principle:

• Article 48A, also added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, directs the State to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wildlife.
• So the State has a directive and the citizen has a duty on the same subject.

Laws on the environment:

• Laws on wildlife, forests, water and air pollution, and the general environment protection law support this duty.
• The National Green Tribunal, set up in 2010, hears environmental cases.

Role in courts:

The Supreme Court has used Article 51A(g), together with Article 48A and Article 21, to develop environmental law.

In the M.C. Mehta cases, the Court gave directions on pollution in the Ganga and in Delhi.

The Court has held that the right to a clean environment is part of the right to life.

Other clauses:

• Clause (d) is about defending the country.
• Clause (j) asks citizens to strive towards excellence in all spheres.
• Article 48 is a Directive Principle on organising agriculture and animal husbandry and prohibiting cow slaughter.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Clauses (d) and (j) deal with defence and excellence, and Article 48 is a Directive Principle, not a duty.