CORRUPTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE INACTION IN ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE: A CASE STUDY OF INDUSTRIAL LICENSING AND COIR SECTOR REGULATION

This research investigates the pervasive issues of corruption and administrative inaction undermining
environmental governance in India, using the coir industry sector in Tamil Nadu as a case study.
Despite a robust legal framework—including the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and judicial doctrines like the precautionary and polluter pays
principles—enforcement remains weak due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, corrupt licensing practices,
and regulatory failures. Focusing on industrial clusters in Pollachi-Coimbatore, the study highlights
environmental degradation from water pollution, groundwater depletion, illegal resource diversion,
and waste mismanagement in coir processing. Through doctrinal analysis, historical review,
legislative examination, judicial interventions, and comparative insights from the US, EU, and Australia,
it identifies institutional gaps exacerbating these problems. Key findings reveal that administrative
lapses allow unregulated operations, harming rural communities and ecosystems. Recommendations
include enhancing enforcement transparency via digital platforms, inter-agency coordination, stricter
anti-corruption measures, public participation, and sustainable practices to bridge the law
implementation divide for effective environmental protection