Aaditya shoots off'green' missive to Java dek ar
Objects to centralising environment nod, which he says undermines cooperative federalism enshrined in Constitution Urges re-evaluation of Draft EIA notification, citing dilution of various green laws
Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, who recently took the initiative to save a 400-year-old banyan tree in Sangli and raised his voice against coal mining near the Tadoba tiger reserve, has, in a three-page letter to Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, objected to the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2020 proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He has observed that the draft notification is not in line with the Paris agreement and against sustainable development.
He has further said, the EIA narrows down the definitions of environmental site assessments (ESAs), effectively excluding villages. ronment clearances would only lead to hurdles, or clearances that do not take into account local issues. Therefore, reducing the state government’s control will have direct consequences on environmental protection efforts. Further, it absolutely undermines the nature of cooperative federalism that is enshrined in our Constitution,’’ he has noted, urging Javadekar to re-evaluate the notification.
Further, Aaditya has claimed that the notification goes against the mandate given to the government under section 3 of the Environment Protect Act, to protect the environment by diluting the nature and scope of scrutiny of environmental impacts of proposed projects and does not consider climate change in the decision-making processes. ‘‘Climate change is here for real, and while the world prides in steps towards environmental protection, we cannot dilute our environment laws,’’ is his view.
He has observed that the notification has exempted several environmentally destructive activities, such as coal prospecting, crushing and screening of ore, seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration. He has objected to the provision of up to 50% expansion of any existing project without requiring public consultation and up to 25% not requiring EIA process at all.
He has opposed the provision about appraisal no longer needed for some B2 categor y projects, to which various hazardous industries (red and orange industries) have been added. Further, he has objected to the provision of allowing industries to fence off and secure land before getting environment clearance. The notification allows for granting ex post facto environment clearance to project proponents who are in clear violation of law.