Strengthen environmental clearances

News: A robust system of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required to find the balance between the environment and development, and to mitigate harm.

Many projects are being given environmental clearance, without paying attention to how many should be allowed and in what conditions.

What are the changes present EIA process required?

First, credible baseline data about the proposed project should be made available and easily accessible to the public.

Second, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system has been unnecessarily made difficult. All clearances – i.e. – environment, forests, wildlife, and coastal, should be streamlined and consolidated. In the Budget 2022-23, a single-window clearance system has been announced, however, it is solely aimed at the ease of doing business.

Third, Public assessment process is not useful as of now. Public hearings are held, not heard. Risks from projects can be mitigated if the community concerns are heeded.

Thus, mandatory videography of any public hearing should be live-streamed. The committee assessing the project must be made accountable for taking those concerns into account.

Fourth, the role of the environmental assessment committees must be revised properly. At present these committees are not responsible for the compliance or monitoring of the project. Furthermore, they make the government less accountable for the decisions that are taken during the scrutiny of the project. Thus, these committees should be should either be made accountable or disbanded.

Fifth, at present, there are many monitoring agencies after clearance and yet enforcement is weak. there is a need to integrate the functioning of all agencies — from state pollution control boards to coastal- and forest-related institutions.

Source: This post is based on the article “Strengthen environmental clearances” published in Business Standard on 7^th March 2022.