BNS Section 280: Making atmosphere noxious to health (formerly IPC 278)

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · in force from 1 July 2024

BNS 280: Making atmosphere noxious to health

From 1 July 2024

Whoever voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way, shall be punished with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees.

What it replaced in the IPC

BNS 280 ← IPC 278 · Making atmosphere noxious to healthChanged

BPR&D's comparison records a change. Read what changed before relying on the old wording.

What changed, per BPR&D: The upper limit of the fine is increased from five hundred to one thousand rupees.

Printed in both official correspondence tables (BPR&D and NCRB).

Whoever voluntarily vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way, shall be punished with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.

IPC 278 on its own page →

Which one applies

An offence is governed by the law in force when it was committed. An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is charged and punished under the IPC; one committed on or after that date, under the BNS. Section 358 of the BNS, which repeals the IPC, preserves every liability and proceeding already incurred under it.

Read BNS section 358 →

Judgments decided under IPC 278

They remain the law on IPC 278. Where the provision changed in the move, read what changed before relying on one for an offence after 1 July 2024.

Sources

BPR&D is the Bureau of Police Research & Development (Ministry of Home Affairs); NCRB the National Crime Records Bureau. Their correspondence tables are training aids, not law. This page is general information, not legal advice on any case; the bare Acts as published by the Government of India are the authority.