Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's observation that enforcement of environmental regulatory standards should not lead to a throwback to the days of the licence-permit raj strikes a jarring note in an era of enlightened, science-based conservation. By projecting regulation as a threat to economic development, he has brought needless pressure to bear on the nascent efforts of Minister Jairam Ramesh to bring accountability and transparency to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). In his address to the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, the Prime Minister lamented the weakening of the ancient symbiotic relationship between society and the environment on account of development and population growth; he prescribed the unexceptionable cure of sustainable development and called for inter-generational equity. But his advocacy is short on conviction because it comes laced with the scare scenario of bottleneck controls. It is certainly unhelpful to Mr. Ramesh, who has been working hard to strike the right balance between GDP growth and conservation, reduce carbon emissions without sacrificing growth — and vitally, to steer the MoEF away from the path of rubber-stamped environmental clearances. Such is the pressure on the Ministry, including from other Ministries, that it has had to show cause why it is implementing fundamental laws such as the Forest (Conservation) Act.
The MoEF now has the difficult task of introducing greater scientific rigour in environment impact assessment of projects. The Minister has gone about his job seeking expert counsel, holding public hearings, and publishing committee reports. This refreshing approach also serves a public education function and Mr. Ramesh must persist with it. His priority should be to make the Environment Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 effective; a weak EIA regime can do much harm. The Ministry's committee on the Posco project in Orissa, for instance, recorded “serious lapses and illegalities” in EIA and the majority of members recommended revocation of clearance granted in 2007 for a minor port and steel plant. That the Ministry had to subsequently ignore the report and conditionally clear the project is a measure of the pressure it faces. The present onslaught on environmental regulations, most of which are poorly enforced by State governments, is a far cry from the time of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who pioneered them in a different era. She memorably described unplanned development as violence against the landscape. In recent times, the Forest Rights Act has joined the list of progressive laws protecting the rights of people, and forests. Political India needs to learn the virtues of good environmental governance, which limits exploitation of natural resources to sustainable levels.
Keywords: green regulation, economic development, licence-permit raj
Everybody loves development,each one of us likes to be a part of this process and have the right to make our life enrich with modern technology but the hard question to ask is at the cost of what.Development should not be at cost of exploiting the natural resource.
Development is the fundamental needs and desire of the society but not at the cost of Environmental degradation, as latter's degradation weighs so heavily on the development that it could annihilate the years of persistent and painstaking efforts of societal growth. It's good to see that environment ministry is doing its work for environmental conservation. The pressure from other ministries and prime minister is natural and desirable as they are also doing their works to ensure same pace of development. Natural resources is for us only. Therefore, There must be some bonding body between MOEF and blindly pro-development ministry of the government, to ensure eco-friendly sustainable development. This way the authoritarian and despotic habit of both the faction will be culminated.
It is not a new question-Development Vs Environment.This question has been debated over centuries.With the advent of Industrial Revolution , the butchering of Environment began. The invention of diesel engine, car, atom bomb led to the revolution in manufacturing, transportation, automobile and defence sector.The power plants,steel plants,mining activity definitely add to the pollution of the environment with the emmission of CO2, SO2, NO2 and other hazardous gases.The developed countries like USA,UK,France,Germany etc are the top polluters and now the state has come when green house effect will result in rise of temperature by few degrees in the twenty-first century resulting in melting of ice of Arctic and glaciers. Some of the rivers have already been polluted beyong recognition. The future generations have equal right to live and breathe fresh air and drink fresh water.Environment Impact Assessment(EIA) of the new expansion projects in steel,power and mining sector must be done scientifically and rigorously before any approval and MOEF must not buckle under any pressure otherwise it will lose its credibility. We go to think and introspect -the development at what COST.
Statistical growth and development have inter-relation of a very small significance , in regards to our country. It is a fact that besides our GDP had grown to stellar levels in the decade ,our poor has become more poorer while the other section has a different story. Talking of economic development at the cost of environment does not seem a rational idea. Environment is as significant as economic development is. Mr. Ramesh 's stance on POSCO is more than justified.
I don't think PM's statement is antithetical to the stand taken by Mr.Ramesh in the recent past. A week or so back the MoEF cleared POSCO project in Orissa albeit with stringent conditions. Mr.Ramesh gave an indication that large scale projects which can have a lasting developmental impact need not be always discouraged. I think that moderation should be on both sides : While we should not allow developmental projects to damage environment, we must also ensure that development is not hindered by regulations that are too stringent. I believe that PM's statement is being overreacted upon. It should be taken in a spirit which seeks to balance environment and development.
I truly agree with the fact that development at the cost of environment is unacceptable. But turning away this mega project could have let us into another big problem because this project is now not in its inception phase. Whatever measures that needed to be taken, was not taken earlier. With project already invested such big amount and then taking it back could have done much more catastrophe. It's not only about money but also trust of the country which investors put in India.(Mind you India is way down with the rank of 134 in friendly business destinations.) But this is very truly written above, MOEF is not just rubber stamping. With 28 additional measures that needs to be taken care of by POSCO, I understand MOEF has shown the strictness. However there is a little compromise but it's an indication for further projects that there won't be any half measures taken from next time. Hats off to Jairam Ramesh for his great work.
The PM appears to lack the courage to boldly take steps in support of the environment, and persists in narrowly following corporate diktats. The last line could read "political and corporate India need to learn the virtues of good environmental governance, which limits exploitation of natural resources to sustainable levels".
Its a pity that still some sections of Indian government have not understood the importance of environment.The importance that is given to environment is clear from the fact that environment ministry is never part of cabinet, even small ministries like ministry of coal and chemical and fertilizers are part of cabinet.It's no surprise that an environment minister has to face so much pressure from all quarters. The envisaged role of environment ministry in most developed countries is usually to act preemptively whenever there is a cause of concern for environment but in India environment ministry has to run an after scam whether it be Adarsh or Posco. Even in the case of Bt brinjal who knows what kind of pressure did the concerned ministry faced. As far as the question of growth is concerned ,countries like Germany and Nordic region have always adopted the middle path and always excelled in both conservation and development.It's better to grow wisely rather than spending crores (although crore now seems to look like peanuts considering the money stashed in Swiss banks and money boggled in 2G scam ,ISRO scam and CWG scam) of rupees later to try to reverse the irreversible damage to the environment.
A Statesman is one who thinks of next generation unlike a politician who thinks of next election.Such a statement from so called 'Statesman PM' is regrettable at a time when loss of biodiversity and climate change are the pressing challenges before the world community.Environmental regulations vs development must not be a conflict of interest type issue for a country like India. Enforcing environmental regulations is in the interest of the nation.Development & increasing energy demands must not be met at the cost of environment as we our existence to environment.EIA is a must and playing politics on it is detrimental as is happening at the moment in India like in case of Navi-Mumbai IA and establishing nuclear power plants in Jaitapur, Konkan, a biodiversity region.Reducing carbon footprint,cutting emissions is the need of the hour even though we are one among fastest growing economies.We must encourage ,promote and popularise concept of sustainable development in letter and spirit not only locally but globally as we are heading towards becoming a responsible global power.
You cannot expect more from an economist who has no clue about people on the ground and who cannot win an election in the democracy. It's shame that we don't have any other leaders in this country to be an effective PM. It's time to step down Dr. Manmohan Singh - and may be comment about economy and development rather than rule the country.
This is what we should expect from a growth-bsessed neoliberal leadership. It is foolish to think that Jairam Ramesh will get cooperation from his cabinet colleagues. The current regime has consistently favored big business interests since it came to power. What's even more distressing is that much of main stream media (except The Hindu and a few others) are also unhelpful in what the minister for environment and forests is trying to accomplish.
The public statement of the PM undermines the laudable effort of the MoEF in subjecting the development projects to the conditions for protecting the environment and forests. This is a case of the left hand blaming the right hand for problems. PM has a role to ensure that the ministries take decisions that are well considered and protect the interests of the nation. If he finds things going in free-for-all mode, which is the popular belief, he first needs to set his house in order, as he is responsible for every decision that any ministry takes. We expect him to walk his talk on issues like corruption, black money, uncontrolled food prices, Kashmir, Maoism, hostile neighbourhood etc. Unfortunately, he seems to have relegated himself to a PM with right to accept every decision taken by others.
We bestow our trust on Mr. Jayaram Ramesh, who has a progressive and transparent approach to environmental sustainability. His unumbiguous negation to the raising of a stadium in an ecologically fragile zone, involving the ruin of rare water plants in Kerala, is a creditable credential to his scientific mindset and firm atttude in such issues. He shot forth a forthright question to the Keraltes: you want a stadium or environment? We have little optimism left on our PM, given his mysterious reticence in recent issues that uprooted the very credibility of his governance and government.
The development and progress made on the cost of environment is futile.What is the use of buiding a house if you dont have people to accomodate in there?The recently held Cancun summit was an alarming bel l for the developed and highly developing conutries like India.The resevations made by the AOSIS GROUP comprising of 43 small island nations was serious and cannot be overruled.In the backdrop of all that happened at the summit these remarks undermine seriousness of India in tackling the issue of global warming and its impact .Mr Jairam Rameshs Stand athe summit was two faced and was criticized in the initial phases.The time has come for the leaders to be more serious and emphatic towards the degradation of environment on the name of progess.
Prime Minister is concered about GDP growth and economic devlopment.Economic development with environmental degardation is dangerous.Today you can show your GDP growth. But tomorrow our India will have no resources and will face stagnation of deveopment.
The time has come when we have to stop this false differentiation between development and environment, now we have to admit that the development cannot be holistic in nature if it did not incorporate environmental concerns. The present Minister for MoEF needs a great applause for turning this ministry into more than a rubber stamp, but everything has a limit the minister has already started to show sign of fatigue. Recent few decisions taken by him can be said to be taken in haste and pressure. So the works done by him are commendable at the same time he needs to make the rules more stringent and flawless so that no one flaunts with it. This clearly cannot be done by him single handedly until he gets the support from his own government. So now the government needs more than just talking and start the development which is sustainable in nature.
Prime MInister’s remarks are indeed striking a jarring note in an era of enlightened, science based conservation; to pit regulation against development is the usual rhetoric of politicians which should have been avoided. A European study of some 300 mega projects in over 30 countries revealed that in obtaining sanction, environmental impacts are usually understated, projects outlay understated and benefits overly multiplied all due to the monument building mentality of ministers and empire building civil servants. It is in public interests that for every mega project that we undertake we ensure that all these aspects are carefully looked into. When after several years, we have a minister who is very earnest about truthful environmental clearances and not just nominal ones, the head of the government nullifying his efforts is unexplainable. This is not a happy situation for the country. When the parliament begins it work in right earnest soon, it should debate this needless nuance of th4e UPA government.
Any development, industrial or exploitation of natural non-sustainable resources, has its telling effects on environment. EIA is a tool to assess the magnitude of such impacts and how to manage them. Industrial developments to be based on sustainable and renewable technologies alone may not be possible. Majority of the large scale developments rely on exploitation of non sustainable and non renewable resources only. But then how to forge ahead environmentally friendly developments? The world has to harness naturally available energy to the fullest possible levels. All EIA should emphasize on recycling and conservation of natural resources especially such as forest products. For any growing economy of a developing nation electricity is of prime importance requiring huge demand in the coming three to four decades. This is where, we all need to prioritize sustainable growth and that could be possible by harnessing natural resources without disturbing coal belts. Another great and significant resource is the bio-gas. With unlimited quantities of solid and liquid waste with high degradable organic matter, bio-gas should gradually replace all the household non-renewable gas supply and fuel oils in the manufacturing industry.
The observations of our PM show that his government will seek economic growth but without giving due importance to twin objectives of protection of environment and sustainable growth. That if true will be very unfirtunate. Although it is true that we have to still to find a model of development which would ensure good growth in GDP ,and do justice to the poor and and at the same time which would also protect our environment as far as possible, we cannot ignore the demands of the pro-environment lobby. We must strive to find a way out and do the balancing act, as without the balance, there is bound to be disaster.
When will our Prime Miister realise that fast economic development is not an end itself? Commonsense tells us that the ultimate aim of any government's economic policies and programmes should be to constantly improve the standard and quality of life of the people accross the board. Surely Dr.Manmohan Singh knows that the enforcement of environmental regulatory standards by the government is a key factor in improving the quality of life of the people. Clearly by projecting such regulation as a threat to economic development, "he has brought needless pressure to bear on the nascent efforts of Minister Jairam Ramesh to bring accountability and transparency to the Ministry of Environment and Forests" as the editorial has said.
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