To: EIA2020-MOEFCC@Gov.in
Sub: Withdraw Draft EIA 2020
Hon
Environment Minister GoI
During a COVID19 crisis
when People are focused on fighting the Pandemic and Rebuilding their Lives,
the Insensitive Govt of India is misusing its powers to force an
Anti-Environment and Anti-People Notification that will have a huge impact on
the very Foundation of Environmental Protection.
Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) is a vital Regulation that safeguards the Environment protocol
and empowers an expert panel to allow or refuse Environment clearances after a
detailed assessment of an industrial project and its impact on the Environment.
Why do we oppose the
Draft EIA 2020 in totality?
The Objective of the
Environment Ministry is to be Pro-Environment and Pro-People but the Draft EIA
2020 reflects exactly the opposite, its more Anti-Environment, Anti-People and
completely Pro-Industry, giving a free run to any Industry in the pretext of “Ease
of doing Business”.
The Draft EIA 2020
negates Public Consultation for many projects and in other cases shortens the
time with an agenda of speeding up the approval process. It mutes all the
Voices of the Communities/Groups that could be impacted in the Infrastructure
projects (Roads, Irrigation etc.)
The most serious threat
to the Environment is the Post-Facto clearance proposed in the Draft EIA 2020
which indeed legitimizes an Industry even without approvals. Also, reduction in
the Monitoring process, longer Compliance time and longer time to correct
Violation is the final nail to the coffin of Environment Protection.
Draft EIA 2020 is not
only Regressive but stands against the Fundamentals of the Environment Laws and
Conservation Protocols, and basically ends the critical role of National Green
Tribunal that was set up on 18.10.2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act
2010 for an Effective and Expeditious disposal of cases relating to
Environmental Protection and Conservation of Forests and other Natural
Resources.
Regards,
Kavitha Reddy
www.KavithaReddy.in