THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Back-to-back flood and landslides in Kerala are the result of ignoring the environment, said former Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh. The draft EIA notification brought out by the Centre is of a fascist nature and against cooperative federalism and decentralisation of power, he told a webinar on Draft EIA 2020 organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies here on Thursday.
Jairam said if the notification comes into force, only government agencies will be able to raise environmental violations before the government. As per the draft, not even victims of projects can lodge complaints. Public, people’s representatives and environmental activists won’t have any role in pointing out environmental violation. This itself is undemocratic .
The time limit for public hearing too has been reduced. Environmental clearance needs to be sought after projects start. Similarly many projects have been excluded from the EIA. The central government has taken away the right of the states to constitute state-level EIA authorities. All these show the undemocratic nature of the draft notification, Jairam said. The Congress and its leadership have a clear stance on the issue, he said.
According to the former Central minister, activities ignoring nature had led to back-to-back flood and landslides in Kerala. With the current trend of development being carried while ignoring nature, the wealth of only a few will be protected. The bigger question is which of the two is more important -- health or wealth. The past few months have shown that health is more important, said Jairam Ramesh.
Presiding over the webinar, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said the state government delayed its opinion on the draft till the last minute and finally conveyed it in a unilateral manner. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the draft notification should be published in all regional languages so as to make necessary changes.