Consider the following statements : The Environment Protection Act, 1986 empowers the Government of India to 1. state the requirement of public participation in the process of environmental protection, and the procedure and manner in which it is sought 2. lay down the standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Let's analyze each statement regarding the powers of the Government of India under the Environment Protection Act, 1986:

1. state the requirement of public participation in the process of environmental protection, and the procedure and manner in which it is sought. This statement is incorrect. While public participation is a crucial aspect of environmental governance and is incorporated into various environmental rules and policies (like the EIA Notification), the Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1986 itself, as an empowering statute, does not explicitly 'state the requirement' or detail the procedure for public participation as one of its direct empowerments to the Government. Its focus is more on broad powers to protect and improve the environment.

2. lay down the standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources. This statement is correct. Section 3 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, explicitly empowers the Central Government to "lay down standards for the quality of environment in its various aspects and standards for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from various sources whatsoever". This is one of the core powers granted by the Act.