CSE flags green concerns on Modi govt anniversary; Pitches for concrete plan to reduce air

The Times of India , Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Correspondent : Vishwa Mohan
NEW DELHI: The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based think-tank on green issues, on Tuesday said the NDA government's record was not as bad as feared but there had been no major reforms so far to improve the green clearance processes for safeguarding the environment. It also noted that the government has, so far, not taken concrete steps to check air pollution in the cities.

"Contrary to the widespread perception, the NDA government's record of giving environmental and forest clearances has not been very different from that of its predecessor - the UPA government", said the CSE in its analysis report on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's record on environment issues in its first year.

"The analysis shows that there have been no major reforms to improve the green clearance processes for safeguarding the environment and lives and livelihoods of communities. Rather, incremental changes have been made to 'ease the process' of project clearances", said CSE director general Sunita Narain.

This, she added, is not different from the previous UPA government where there was huge hype about delays in green clearance, but the data showed that projects were being cleared and processes were made so convoluted that they stopped working to protect the environment.

Stressing that the NDA government's record has been no worse or no better than that of its UPA counterpart, the CSE analysts noted that the amount of forestland diverted in the first one year of NDA rule, in fact, had been the least since 2007.

The CSE analysis also pointed out at two clear emerging trends. One, project clearances are being devolved to state agencies "without building capacity or accountability" in state-level institutions. Two, there is an "effort to dilute the public hearing process" which is most pronounced in the case of the coal mining sector.

"If these trends continue, they will severely compromise the integrity of the environmental clearance system, especially if nothing is done to improve governance at the state level and to strengthen institutions and oversight," said Chandra Bhushan, CSE deputy director general.

Though the think-tank praised the government for its move to improve waste management rules and putting in place continuous online pollution monitoring systems for polluting industries, it criticized the NDA for selective changing of environmental regulations in the name of streamlining the system.

It also said, "The more difficult agenda remains neglected in this one year. The government has not unveiled any plans to reduce air pollution in cities. In fact, what it has is business as usual and this will not give us the change that we need".

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CSE-flags-green-concerns-on-Modi-govt-anniversary-Pitches-for-concrete-plan-to-reduce-air-pollution/articleshow/47434273.cms
 


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