(1) Any non-compliance or contravention of any provisions of this Ordinance, rules made thereunder or any order or direction issued by the Commission, shall be an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend upto five years or with fine which may extend upto one crore rupees or with both.
Penalty for contravention of provisions of Ordinance, rules, order or direction.
Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any farmer for causing air pollution by stubble burning or mismanagement of agricultural residue.
2 of 1974.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the offence under this Ordinance shall be non-cognizable and shall be triable by the Judicial Magistrate of the First Class who shall not take cognizance of the offence except upon a complaint made by the Commission or any officer authorised by the Commission in this behalf.
(3) Where any offence under this Ordinance has been committed by a company, every person who, at the time the 18 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II— offence was committed, was directly in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of the business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly:
Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment provided in this Ordinance, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), where an offence under this Ordinance has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-sections (3) and
(4),—
(a) “company” means any body corporate, and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and
(b) “director”, in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.
(5) Where an offence under this Ordinance has been committed by any Department of Government, the Head of the Department shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly:
Provided that nothing contained in this section shall render such Head of the Department liable to any punishment if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), where an offence under this Ordinance has been committed SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 19 by a Department of Government and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any neglect on the part of, any officer, other than the Head of the Department, such officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
2 of 1974.
(7) For the purpose of this section and the procedure to be followed thereunder, the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, shall apply.
15. The Commission may impose and collect Environmental Compensation from farmers causing air pollution by stubble burning, at such rate and in such manner, as may be prescribed.
Environmental Compensation.
CHAPTER IV FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT