SC seeks govt. response on creation of ‘independent’ Indian Environment Service

T.S.R. Subramanian Committee report of 2014 had recommended it

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the government’s response on the creation of an independent Indian Environment Service in the “All India Service cadre”.

A Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul issued notice on a plea by advocate Samar Vijay Singh for a specialised environment service in the lines of one recommended by the T.S.R. Subramanian Committee report in 2014.

The Committee, constituted by the Environment Ministry, in its report on November 18, 2014, had categorically recorded that the necessary institutional framework needs to be created, building on the existing systems, to meet future ecological demands.

“While India has a strong environmental policy and legislative framework, much of the problem relates to weak implementation of the various acts and the rules thereunder. Conservation advocates, project proponents and judiciary — none is satisfied with current environmental governance and the policy tools currently deployed in the management of the sector," the report had highlighted.

The Committee had recommended the creation of a new All India Service as the “Indian Environment Service”.

Mr. Singh has also sought a direction from the court to the government to set up an Indian environmental service academy to train officers for environmental law enforcement.

"The constant environmental degradation, ecological imbalance, climate change, water scarcity, etc. are a great concern for India. The citizens are facing many environmental issues such as air pollution, water pollution, non-eradication of solid waste and garbage and pollution of the natural environment. One of the major causes of environmental degradation is the flaw of the existing system that lies in the enforcement capabilities of environmental institutions at various levels," the petition said.

It pointed out that there was no effective coordination amongst various Ministries/institutions regarding the integration of environmental concerns.

"There is a lack of trained personnel involved in the administration, policy formulation, and supervising the implementation of policies of the state government and central government," the petition submitted.