Politics
“This (EIA) is another dreadful example of what the BJP government has been doing for its select suit-boot ‘friends’ who loot the resources of the country,” Gandhi said.
File photo
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday stepped up his attack on the Centre over the draft environment impact assessment (EIA) notification 2020, saying that it must be withdrawn to stop “environmental destruction”. Gandhi alleged that the aim of the EIA 2020 draft notification was clear; “loot of the nation”. “This (EIA) is another dreadful example of what the BJP government has been doing for its select suit-boot ‘friends’ who loot the resources of the country,” Gandhi said.
“EIA 2020 draft must be withdrawn to stop #LootOfTheNation and environmental destruction,” he tweeted, adding, “Not only does it have the potential to reverse many of the hard-fought gains that have been won over the years in the battle to protect our environment, it could potentially unleash widespread environmental destruction and mayhem across India.”
The Congress leader alleged that instead of following the route laid out by the European Union where it has modified its processes with the ‘Aarhus convention’, which argues that environmental rights are also human rights, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to follow the example of Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro, who has publicly stated that he sees the Amazon rainforest as a ‘resource to exploit’.
The draft EIA notification, which oversees the procedure of issuing environmental clearances to various projects, was issued by the Union Environment Ministry in March and public suggestions were invited till August 11. However, the notification triggered a row, with various environmentalists and members of civil society moving court.
Critics have pointed out that several polluting activities like offshore and onshore oil exploration and other such projects have been given a ‘free license’ by being included in ‘Category B2’, which protects it from mandatory public consultation.
The Karnataka High Court has issued a stay on the draft notification until September 7. The government has defended itself saying that the EIA notification does not relax the process of public hearing, but aims to make it more meaningful.
“Provision of ex-post facto approval to bring all violators under regulatory regime by imposing heavy penalties. Companies cannot be in perpetual unregulated status,” Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had said in an earlier statement.
With PTI inputs
“EIA 2020 draft must be withdrawn to stop #LootOfTheNation and environmental destruction,” he tweeted, adding, “Not only does it have the potential to reverse many of the hard-fought gains that have been won over the years in the battle to protect our environment, it could potentially unleash widespread environmental destruction and mayhem across India.”
The Congress leader alleged that instead of following the route laid out by the European Union where it has modified its processes with the ‘Aarhus convention’, which argues that environmental rights are also human rights, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to follow the example of Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro, who has publicly stated that he sees the Amazon rainforest as a ‘resource to exploit’.
The draft EIA notification, which oversees the procedure of issuing environmental clearances to various projects, was issued by the Union Environment Ministry in March and public suggestions were invited till August 11. However, the notification triggered a row, with various environmentalists and members of civil society moving court.
Critics have pointed out that several polluting activities like offshore and onshore oil exploration and other such projects have been given a ‘free license’ by being included in ‘Category B2’, which protects it from mandatory public consultation.
The Karnataka High Court has issued a stay on the draft notification until September 7. The government has defended itself saying that the EIA notification does not relax the process of public hearing, but aims to make it more meaningful.
“Provision of ex-post facto approval to bring all violators under regulatory regime by imposing heavy penalties. Companies cannot be in perpetual unregulated status,” Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had said in an earlier statement.
With PTI inputs
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Source: TheNewsMinute.com