Draft EIA yet to be finalised, Prakash Javadekar tells Jairam Ramesh

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has rebutted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s claims that the government was rushing through the process of notifying the Environment Impact Assessment guidelines, pointing out that the consultation process was still underway.

Javadekar’s response came to a July 25 letter written by Ramesh flagging concerns over the draft EIA notification put in the public domain by the government as part of the consultations process.

Ramesh had flagged five concerns over the draft EIA notification, contending that it sought grant post-facto approvals to projecta and to increase validity of environment clearances by allowing projects to secure land for long duration even when they are not constructed.

Ramesh, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, followed up with another letter on Thursday stating that the panel has received several requests from stakeholders to present their views and urged Javadekar to keep the draft notification in abeyance.

The minister appeared peeved at Ramesh’s zealous follow up on the issue.

“I was a little surprised to see this correspondence in the media as Draft EIA Notification, 2020 has not been finalised yet as the public consultation is still underway and the process of finalisation may take more time. Therefore, publicity of your letter was premature,” Javadekar said.

Javadekar said dthe provision of ex-post facto approval was to bring all violators under regulatory regime after imposing heavy penalties and argued that companies cannot be in perpetual unregulated status.

The minister also pointed out similar violations were regularised on a permanent basis through an office memorandum (OM) in 2010, which was struck down by the National Green Tribunal. The Tribunal had held that an OM cannot override the notification.

“This government has engaged the public and has received hundreds of thousands of suggestions/objections. So, we are doing it not through OM but through new proposed notification with wider public consultation,” Javadekar said.