The Association of Former Central Committee Members of State Bank Staff Union has sought the review and revision of the draft Environmental Impact Assessment notification 2020.
In a memorandum forwarded to Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, AFFCoM president S.P. Raman said the timing chosen by the Central government for releasing the draft notification had shocked those interested in the country’s welfare. People were facing curfew restrictions and there was no possibility of any meaningful dialogue between the people and the government.
Citing two incidents, the sudden leakage of poisonous gas in Andhra Pradesh and major fire at an oil well at Assam during May as the outcome of flagrant violation of environmental law and policy of 2006, AFCCoM demanded initiation of criminal proceedings against lawbreakers. It also sought modifications in the draft notification to protect agricultural operations since more or less 1,300 million people depend on them for their livelihood.
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Urging the government to follow due process for enacting a law, the association wanted the draft notification to be reviewed and revised suitably failing which would be better to reject it than retaining it in the present form.