The Union government should immediately put a moratorium on environmental clearances to projects in sensitive and bio-diverse areas, former Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said in a letter to Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.
Also read: During lockdown, MoEFCC panels cleared or discussed 30 projects in biodiverse forests
“I was most concerned and disturbed, though not entirely surprised, to read this news item today in The Hindu. Under normal circumstances, these clearances should cause great worry; that they have been given during the lockdown period is atrocious. I cannot imagine any worthwhile due-diligence that would have been done by the committees concerned,” he said in a letter.
Mr. Ramesh referred to a report about the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) giving green clearances to ecologically sensitive zones like the Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, coal mining proposal in the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in Assam, a highway through the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa and a limestone mine in the eco-sensitive zone of the Gir National Park among others.
“I request you to immediately issue a moratorium on these and other clearances given during the lockdown period at least,” the former Union Environment Minister said.
Mr. Javadekar promptly replied to Mr. Ramesh to suggest that all his concerns have been taken care of.
“Noted. I can assure you that not a single decision has been taken without complete due diligence. The minutes of the same speak for that,” Mr. Javadekar said in his reply.
“Thanks for the prompt response. But we all know that since 2014, minutes of such meetings are written beforehand elesewhere,” Mr. Ramesh responded.
