Through its myriad geographical and weather conditions, India has successfully sustained a great variety of flora and fauna. But the country's biodiversity has not remained unaffected from the environmental crisis looming around. The burgeoning population and the consequent need of urbanisation and industrialization have marooned the environment severely.
The Indian Government has taken many steps to protect the environment from possible deterioration. For example, the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), National Biodiversity Action Plan (2009), National Environment policy (2006) etc. These efforts surely helped to slow down the exploitation of the environment but didn't bring it to a halt. The degradation of the environment still continues. Every year the country loses quite a chunk of its forest and wildlife due to reckless exploitation in the name of modernisation, expansion and earning benefits for the economy.
The recent years and the current pandemic situation has very well, displayed to the world that downplaying the environmental crisis can have grave and unprecedented repercussions. The melting glaciers, deadly pollution, untimely and destructive floods, uncontrollable forest fires are just a few examples of the impending tragedy. It's leeway now and it's time for the government to take strict steps in order to safeguard the environment. But quite ironically, in these crucial times, the Indian government seems to be introducing environmental policies that could exacerbate the current situation.
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020. This draft seeks to revamp the norms set up by the existing EIA Notification, 2006 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. An EIA is there to help find out the possible impacts a project such as mining, construction of dams, industries etc can have on the environment and the local community. It also involves screening of projects by an Expert Appraisal Committee for approval. EIA includes public consultation. There can be public hearings where people from local communities or any interested person is entitled to put forward opinions and objections.
Sadly, the new draft has diluted many norms that earlier ensured accountability. Many projects have been exempted from the basic procedure and screening that EIA involved. Some of them are listed here- hydroelectric projects up to 25 MW, all inland waterway projects, expansion or widening of highways between certain kilometres, aerial ropeways in ecologically sensitive areas, irrigation projects etc. "Other projects include solar thermal power projects, solar parks, and coal and non-coal mineral prospecting." This might seem justified for it will encourage the use of renewable resources but without any proper assessment the construction of such projects and the processes involved(such as land procurement etc.) might have an adverse impact on the environment. Further the new norms hinder public participation. The notice period for public hearing has been cut from 30 days to 20 days, thus, raising many difficulties. Also, some projects have been exempted from the need of undergoing any public hearing at all. Moreover, the public reporting of violations will not be considered. To make it worse, if the authority or agency does not consider the local situation apt for participation by local citizens then the public hearing can be avoided. Also, the new draft makes it easier for projects that didn't have approval earlier or are working without approval to continue their operation without much trouble. The new standard does not strengthen the Expert Appraisal Committee by any means.
The ministry tried to shut down the public responses to the draft hurriedly but the Delhi High Court intervened to extend the deadline to August 11. Now, the Karnataka High Court has put an interim stay on the draft till September 7 so that it can be published in all vernacular languages and thus, can reach and be analysed by more people. Despite of the justifications, the government is constantly supplying to support it, the EIA has received much flak in the previous few months. The crux remains that this new draft might give a badly needed push to our crippling economy. But it will defy some international environmental conventions, will help companies churn out huge profits without much accountability to the devastating effects they will have on the environment and on the people, will take away most of the legal support from the affected local communities and make the system of public participation hollow. After so many years of independence, we still fail to recognize that protecting the environment is not some casual task but is one of the highest duties of each citizen and the government. So many years later, the questions still linger, does development have to be at the cost of the environment? Will the environment ever be free from this systematic exploitation?
