"The committee headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian has made several suggestions about the rules and regulations . At present, discussions on the report are being held within the department, but we should take a decision by January-end. We will then place it before the Cabinet," Javadekar told reporters.

Even though green activists have been critical of some recommendations, Javadekar said environmental conservation, sustainable development and implementation of the law will remain the focus of the government.

The committee set up in September to review six laws submitted its report in November with recommendations that included a National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) at the central level for granting approvals and enforcing environmental laws. Setting up of similar bodies at the state level has also been suggested.

On the recent climate conference in Lima, Javadekar said India has played a proactive role during the talks in ensuring that the developed countries did not evade their responsibilities on environmental matters.

He said the commitment to generate one lakh megawatts of solar power (five times the 20,000 megawatts target set by the previous government) would go a long way in reducing reliance on thermal power.

The government has also asked 3,206 industries from 17 sectors considered to be highly polluting to set up round-the-clock monitoring systems. "By 2015 these new monitoring systems will be set up and we will get real-time updates about the effluents discharged by these factories and air pollution from their chimneys," he added.

Plantation drive in Warje

Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar called for participation in a tree plantation drive on forest land in Warje. On the proposed Pune Metro project, he said a final meeting of all the stakeholders will be held in the first week of January .

"Of the three tracts of forest land inside the city - Bhamburda, Katraj and Warje - the first two are very green, but the forest in Warje has deteriorated. We are going to start plantation drive in Warje," Javadekar said at a 'Janata darbar'. "If we can mobilize a people's movement to save these green spaces, which are the lungs of the city, these areas can be transformed," he said.

The minister said chief conservator of forest Jeet Singh will draft a proper proposal for the revival of the forest at Warje and the Union government will do all it can to help.

Javadekar said the Union government will be allocating Rs 33,000 crore of Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority funds to state governments so that new forest areas can be created for a huge carbon sink.

He said he had spoken to Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar about construction of railway over-bridges, flyovers and road-widening in the city that require defence land and hoped the clearances will be expedited.