ON JANUARY 17, 2022, the Centre rolled out a star-rating system for state environmental clearance authorities to make them more efficient, transparent and accountable. A closer look, though, suggests that the rating system, instead, penalises the state environment impact assessment authorities or SEIAAS, for adhering to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006, the blueprint for giving green nod to projects.
The rating system, to be updated every month, is based on seven parameters and they are geared towards pressurising SEIAA to fast-track clearances—even if it means without due diligence. Under the first parameter, state agencies that, on average, clear projects in less than 80 days will be awarded two points. If the average time drops to 105 days, the recommended period under the 2006 EIA notification, 1 point gets deducted. If an agency has an average turnaround time of 120 days or more, it will not be awarded any points (see 'Partial assessment').
While the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) justifies the stricter timeline on the basis that the entire clearance process is now online and hence faster, almost all of the remaining parameters, worth 1 point each, push SEIAAS to avoid critical procedures, such as conducting site visits and asking for additional information, to time. Some of these parameters can change the nature of EIA from being a safeguard for shared resources to becoming a token step in the process of doing business.
Denne historien er fra February 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
