Polluter pays principle explanation – UGC NET Question

The polluter pays principle states that the cost of pollution control and remediation should be borne by the polluter. It internalises environmental costs that would otherwise be external to the market. This principle provides an economic incentive for firms and individuals to reduce pollution. Therefore the description in the question clearly refers to the polluter pays principle.

Option A:
The precautionary principle advocates taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty to avoid serious or irreversible damage. It does not specifically assign costs to the polluter. Thus it does not match the definition given.

Option B:
Equity relates to fairness in the distribution of benefits and burdens among different groups. While polluter pays may promote a kind of equity,it is a more general value and not the specific policy rule defined in the question. Therefore it is not the most precise answer.

Option C:
The polluter pays principle directly links responsibility for pollution with financial liability. By making polluters responsible for the full environmental costs,it encourages cleaner technologies and processes. This is exactly the logic captured by the stem.

Option D:
Subsidiarity is a governance principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest appropriate level. It concerns allocation of authority rather than allocation of environmental costs. Hence it is not relevant to the concept described in the question.