Even as the BJP-led central government is bringing a flurry of changes in the environmental policies, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology and Environment & Forests on Friday stressed that it will strictly work within the existing scheme of laws and regulations.
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“All our work, reports or recommendations, will be within the confinement of the existing policy and laws. The government can issue ordinances, but we shall do what we have to do. Primacy of protection of environment is our foremost objective,” said Ashwani Kumar, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee. Mr. Kumar added that the committee wants the rule of law to prevail.
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The committee is on two-day visit to Mumbai. On Friday it held consultations with Maharashtra Government authorities and Civil Society Organizations on range of environmental challenges faced by Mumbai. Issues relating to implementation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules, waste disposal, state of fishermen and marine resources, uprooting of mangroves, noise pollution came up for discussion.
“In case the government is planning for new laws or changes within the existing ones, it will have to route it through the committee with its recommendations. In a parliamentary form of the government such committees have a definite role to play,” he said, indicating that the committee will not let it easy for the existing government to go ahead with the matters related to environment.
The committee, which mainly concentrated on issues pertaining to Mumbai, has asked the officials and representatives to give an action plan within two weeks. The Committee will prepare its report with three months.
“Mumbai, which is our window to the world, is a city in decay. It was necessary for us to understand the enormity of the challenge and to know whether there exists any long term plan to revive the city,” he said.