Govt of India seeking to reduce transparency, slash accountability, 'dismantle' regulations

By A Representative
Scholars and activists speaking at a high-profile webinar on the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2020, have expressed concern that, while India has seen a consistent hike in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking from 142nd (2014) to 63rd position in 2019, during the same time period, saw “successive downturn” in the rank from 155th (2014) to 168th (2019) position on the Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
Organized by the Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI), New Delhi, the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS), New Delhi, and the India Water Portal as media partner, speakers at the virtual meet said, ranking at the Global Climate Risk Index 2020 also suggests, India is the fifth most vulnerable country as far as climate change is concerned.
Dr D Raghunandan, former president, All India People’s Science Network, said that the notification seeks to bypass the rulings of judicial bodies in a de jure manner, adding, the draft has gone in for a wholesale reclassification of projects as A, B1 and B2 where large numbers of projects have been placed under B2 category under which no approval or public hearing is required.
According to Dr Raghunandan, post facto clearance is the most egregious provision of the draft EIA 2020, and it goes against the rulings of Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal. The draft marks a big shift to centralised environmental process where even the State Impact Assessment Authority is constituted by the Centre. This has reduced transparency and slashed accountability, dismantling environment regulations.
Sucharita Sen, professor, Centre for the study of Regional Development, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, said that the draft EIA 2020 has made significant dent in the social contract made by the state with its citizens to protect their lives and livelihood, adding, it also violates the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 which pledges to protect and improve the environment.”
Pointing out that the days of public hearing have been reduced from 30 to 20 days, Prof Sen regretted, this suggests the draft doesn’t empower citizens to file violations and non-compliance reports, and this watering down has happened when 99.9 percent of violation cases are brought to authorities by citizens and action groups, she added.
Also objecting to post facto approvals of environmental clearance, she said, this provision pre-empts the possibility of rejection and enhances the industry’s right to pay for violations and get away with whatever it does.
Leo Saldanha, founding trustee and coordinator, Environment Support Group, Bangalore, said that till 1997, public hearing was not mandatory and environmental approvals were based at the discretion of administration. However, the 1997 EIA notification marked the beginning of democratization of environmental clearances.

Ashish Kothari, founder-member, Kalpavriksh, Pune, said that environmental regulatory regime in India has always been very weak, and environment has been considered nominal when compared to the notion of development. We have to challenge the notion of development at any cost. It is necessary to rethink about development, progress or wellbeing in the ambit of environmental ecosystem and we need to relearn from indigenous people to respect the environment, he added.
Dr Walter Fernandes, director, North Eastern Social Research Centre, Guwahati, said that the draft paves the way for centralisation of power by “streamlining” the people who are the real stakeholders of the environment by refusing to given a chance to participate and report their concerns, insisting , a weak EIA demands massive mobilisation of people against the draft.
Others who participated in the webinar included Prof Kamna Sachdeva, head of the department and associate professor, Department of Energy and Environment, TERI; Madhu Sarin, environmentalist and land rights activist, Campaign for Survival and Dignity; Ajit Kumar Singh, additional district and sessions judge, Bihar; Brajesh Kumar Dubey, associate professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur; Sara Suresh, student of the Symbiosis Law School, Pune; and Dr Arjun Kumar, director, IMPRI.

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup* Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

From Puri to the State: How Odisha turned the dream of drinkable tap water into policy

By Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Mansee Bal Bhargava Drinking water directly from the tap is generally associated with developed countries where it is considered safe and potable. Only about 50 countries around the world offer drinkable tap water, with the majority located in Europe and North America, and a few in Asia and Oceania. Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and Singapore have the highest-quality tap water, followed by Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Australia, the UK, Costa Rica, and Chile.

Frugal funds, fading promises: Budget 2026 exposes shrinking space for minority welfare

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Ministry of Minority Affairs was established in 2006 during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following the findings of the Sachar Committee, which documented that Muslims were among the most educationally and economically disadvantaged communities in India. The ministry was conceived as a corrective institutional response to deep structural inequalities faced by religious minorities, particularly Muslims, through focused policy interventions.

Search This Blog