Crucial environmental clearance steps removed from Govt of India agenda for "developmental" projects

Javdekar

Counterview Desk
In yet another move to “remove” alleged hurdles in the way of coming with “developmental” projects, the Government of India is all set to undermine Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) and Carrying Capacity Studies (CSS), which have been an important part of the environment impact assessment process of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
A recent letter written by a group of senior environmentalists a Delhi-based advocacy group to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar has taken strong exception to not including CIA and CSS in the agenda of environmental clearance (EC) meetings held recently for projects proposed for several of the river basis projects.
Worse, the letter, signed by led by Himansh Thakker of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), in alliance with 18 people’s organizations across India, says none of the draft CIA and CCS were made available in the public domain on the EC website of the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Pointing out that this is clear from the agenda of the meetings declared for Environmental Clearance January 21 as also on February 8-9, the letter reveals, this is in pursuance of a “recent decision” of the Ministry not to put make public these documents, insisting, “This is a clear departure from the past practice” and “against the basic principles of transparent.”
The letter says, “Availability of these documents in public domain at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting of the Environmental Assessment Committee (EAC) is crucial for all concerned to be able to study these document and share their views about the adequacy or otherwise of the studies with the EAC”, adding, refusal to do so is nothing but an effort to “informed participation” of all concerned stakeholders in this process.
The letter goes on, this is also a violation of the order of Central Information Commission (CIC) dated January 18, 2012, which “specifically directed that all documents related to the EAC agenda must be in pubic domain, also required under Section 4 of RTI Act 2015.”
Insisting that “CIA and CCS are very important part of the decision making about the river basins and projects in river basins”, the letter says, “In the past the studies have left a lot to be desired and following inputs from many of us and others, the EAC has asked further work and studies in the CIA and CCS.”
The letter further tells the minister, “Conditions of environment clearance also stipulate that the clearance is subject to the final CIA/CCS. It is hence also imperative that public participation in the approval of CIA and CCS is ensured.” It adds, “The MoEF&CC Office Memorandum of May 28, 2013 about need for CIA and CCS also is crucial in this process.”
The refusal to make public CIA and CSS crucially comes at a time when, says a SANDRP source, when MoEF&CC “has been sanctioning cascades of hydropower projects on here-to free flowing rivers in the Himalaya and the North East.”
“Over 70 dams are planned for the rivers of the Upper Ganga Basin, 44 dams across the Siang Basin in Arunachal Pradesh famed for its pristine forests and biodiversity, 12 dams across the Lohit Basin, 19 for Subansiri basin. These are bumper to bumper projects, one starting where the other ends”, says SANDRP, adding, “The cumulative impacts of these projects on the hydrology, downstream flow, sudden water releases, deforestation, muck disposal, influx of migrant workers, seismicity of the region, etc., is huge.”

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog