Initiating a discussion on the working of the ministry of environment and forests, V Maitreyan (AIADMK) said there was a perception that the ministry acts only at the behest of the judiciary and pointed out this was not a healthy trend.

"The ministry should remove the perception that it responds only to judicial intervention," Maitreyan said.

He said the issue affects and touches the life of each creature on this earth as global warming and climate change with melting of ice sheets, extreme weather conditions, rising level of sea and gradual reduction of winter season are a reality and not a myth.

The AIADMK member said care and concern for nature and development has to go side by side and raised issues of noise pollution, pollution in rivers Yamuna and Ganges, and the big gap between generation of effluent and capacity for treatment.

He favoured bringing environment in the Concurrent list and more powers for the Central Pollution Control Board.

Referring to diversion of forest land, he said it was affecting wild life.

Maitreyan wanted greater involvement of the fishing community in the management of coastal environment.

Shantaram Naik (Cong) said the government must amend its environment policy and table it in the Parliament before making it final.