The Delhi High Court on Thursday said people in remote areas may not understand the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) if published only in English and Hindi.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan asked the Centre why it was resisting the work to translate the draft EIA in all 22 languages in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution.
The court asked what would be the prejudice caused to the government if objections were invited from their own citizens. It asked the government to come up with its stand by March 26, the next date of hearing, on whether the draft EIA can be translated in all the 22 languages for a better consultative process.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma said translation in all 22 languages posed various administrative difficulties and the translations may not conform to the actual content of the draft EIA. The ASG said over 20 lakh responses have been received with regard to the draft EIA and therefore, it cannot be said that the consultative process or participation by stakeholders was skewed.
The court was hearing the Centre’s plea seeking review of its June 30, 2020 direction to the Environment Ministry to translate the draft EIA notification in all the 22 languages.
