NCRB Report: 7,794 Environmental Offences in Rajasthan, 2nd Highest in Noise Pollution

The environmental condition in Rajasthan is worrisome. As per the recent report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Rajasthan was one of the leading states in the nation for environmental offenses in 2023. A total of 7,794 environmental offenses were reported in the state, standing fourth after Tamil Nadu (41,304), Kerala (8,786), and Maharashtra (4,854). Among these, the maximum number of cases were of noise pollution. Rajasthan has a second position in the nation among noise pollution offences. Even though the number of cases is marginally lower compared to last year (9,529 cases in 2022), Rajasthan's crime rate (per lakh population) is 9.6, standing third behind Tamil Nadu (53.7) and Kerala (24.5).

Law Cases: 232 cases were registered under the Forest and Forest Conservation Act, 181 cases under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, 1,535 cases under the Air and Water Pollution Act, and the highest number of cases, 5,846 (second in the country), were registered under the Noise Pollution Act.

With 5,846 cases, noise pollution remains the leading cause of environmental crimes in Rajasthan—surpassed only by Tamil Nadu (41,241 cases). Experts say that the high number of noise pollution cases in Rajasthan is a result of the state's urban expansion, heavy vehicle traffic, and frequent religious/social events, where noise-related regulations are often violated.

Environmental crimes registered in the last three years:

• 2021: 9,387
• 2022: 9,529
• 2023: 7,794

Although the number of cases registered for environmental crimes decreased in 2023 compared to 2021, Rajasthan's share of the total 68,994 cases in the country remains over 11%. The good news is that the state's chargesheet filing percentage has been 99.7% - meaning that the pace of action is faster, but preventing crime remains a major challenge.