The deadline for the public to send their feedback on the draft to the MOEFCC is August 11, 2020, Tuesday.
People from various parts of Tamil Nadu have hit the ground, literally, to express their opposition against the draft of Environmental Impact Assessment 2020 (EIA 2020). Several people from around 20 districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry drew kolams (rangolis) in front of their houses with slogans, urging the government to scrap the draft EIA 2020.
The draft EIA 2020, which was published in the Gazette in April 2020, has been evoking massive responses from various quarters. The draft seeks to replace the EIA norms that are currently in force since 2006. The union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has provided a designated e-mail address for the people to send in their comments by the deadline of August 11, 2020.
Thoothukudi
While many have taken to social media to complain about their feedback emails sent to the designated address returning to the senders, many others took to drawing traditional kolam designs to express their dissent on Tuesday. Sources tell TNM that the government has recieved more than 4 lakh emails from people opposing the draft.
Led by the city-based Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG), the kolam protest was organised due to the inability of people to congregate in mass numbers to express their opposition peacefully. In a press release from the collective, Dr Vishvaja Sambath, a volunteer with the CCAG said, “Kolam is not just a decorative art or empty tradition. We use it to build conversations with our neighbours, and to express ourselves on issues that matter.”
Thiruvallur
Tirunelveli
Thanjavur
Puducherry
Kanyakumari
The central government, despite an order from the Delhi High Court, failed to publish the translated versions of the draft document in 22 official Indian languages. The court had, on July 2, extended the deadline to August 11 and ordered the centre to release the draft in regional languages within ten days. The draft came under massive scrutiny by environmental experts, activists and civilians for its attempt to dilute the existing provisions of public consultation, prior environmental clearances and reporting of violations to environmental laws.
Source: The News Minute