Central Vista project: Environmentalists call fresh GoI proposal arbitrary, piecemeal

By Our Representative
A uniform letter, sent by a large number of environmental experts from across India to T Haque, chairman, Experts Assessment Commission (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India (GoI), has expressed shock over the submission of a fresh revised proposal on the Central Vista project in Delhi for approval, calling the move “arbitrarily”.
Titled “Development/ Redevelopment Of Common Central Secretariat Buildings and Central Conference Centre Along With Prime Minister’s Residence, SPG Building and Vice President’s Enclave, New Delhi”, the new proposal was submitted to AEC on December 17.
Stating that the proposal appears to “completely undermine” pending challenges in the Supreme Court against the project proponents – Central Public Work Department (CPWD) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs ( MoHUA) – the letter regretted, similar submissions were made in the past also “failed to disclose all the components of the project.”
“We appreciate the fact that EAC had taken a strong and considered position during the last meeting when the project had been returned to the project proponent indicating that they should not follow a ‘piecemeal approach’ and revert with an ‘integrated project’. We would like to point out that this proposal is still ‘piecemeal’ and not integrated”, the letter – forwarded to Counterview by one of the signatories, Gujarat-based environmentalist Rohit Prajapati – said.
Pointing towards how CPWD and MoHUA have refused to disclose all the components of the project in the past, the letter said, the December 9 proposal “arbitrability removed the Prime Minister’s Office i.e. Plot 36 from the proposal” without giving any explanation on why they were doing this. Further, the December 9 proposal “reduced built-up area of 17,21,500 sqm as against 18,37,057.35 sqm “without any disclosure of why and how the project consultants and the project proponents have introduced these changes.”
Further, the December 9 proposal refused to include the mew Parliament building, the new India Garden, the underground transit, all of which have been reported in the media to be part of the Central Vista redevelopment. “These standalone components will either not be placed before the environment ministry or introduced at a later stage once again indicating a piecemeal approach as has been rightly observed by the EAC”, the letter said.
Ironically, said the letter, “While the government has decreased the built-up area the cost of the project has increased from INR 11,794 crore in November 2020 to INR 13,450 crore in the present proposal.”
Accusing of the government of turning the project proposal to EAC into “mockery in full public view”, the letter said, “The proposal is being pushed through with utter disregard of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification and continues to challenge the mandate of the EAC for detailed scrutiny. The application clearly gives the impression that that the project proponent is not aware that they are applying for an environmental approval and not for a building approval.”
Asking EAC to “exercise its authority and responsibility to seek full disclosure from the project proponent regarding the various components”, the letter insisted, only when this is done, it should issue terms of reference for the project proponents.

Comments

Modi win may force Pak to put Kashmir on backburner, resume trade ties with India

By Salman Rafi Sheikh* When Narendra Modi returned to power for a second term in India with a landslide victory in 2019, his government acted swiftly. Just months after the election, the Modi government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India. In doing so, it stripped the special constitutional status conferred on Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state, and downgraded its status from a state with its own elected assembly to a union territory administered by the central government in Delhi.

Tyre cartel's monopoly: Farmers' groups seek legal fight for better price for raw rubber

By Our Representative The All India Kisan Sabha and the Kerala Karshaka Sangham that represents the largest rubber producing state of Kerala along with rubber farmers have sought intervention against the monopoly tyre companies that have formed a cartel against the interests of consumers and farmers. Vijoo Krishnan, AIKS General Secretary, Valsan Panoli, Kerala Karshaka Sangham General Secretary, and four farmers representing different rubber growing regions of Kerala have filed an intervention application in the Supreme Court.

'Assault on civic, academic freedom, right to dissent': TISS PhD student's suspension

By Our Representative The Mumbai-based civil rights group All India Secular Forum (AISF) has said that the suspension of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) PhD student Ramadas Prini Sivanandan (30) for two years for allegedly indulging in activities which were "not in the interest of the nation" is meant to send out the message that students and educational institutes will be targeted if they don’t align with the agenda and ideology of the ruling regime. TISS in a notice served to Ramadas has cited that his role in screening the documentary 'Ram Ke Naam' on January 26 as a "mark of dishonour and protest" against the Ram Mandir idol consecration in Ayodhya. Another incident cited in the notice was Ramadas’ participation in the protest against unfair government policies in Delhi under the banner of the Progressive Students' Forum (PSF)-TISS. TISS alleges the institute's name was "misused", which wrongfully created an impression that

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor* Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Indian authorities 'ignoring' renewable energy sources not requiring high voltage power lines

By Shankar Sharma* Recent media reports greatly appreciating a recent order of the Supreme Court bench on climate action in India should also be seen in the context of threats to the Great Indian Bustard. The judgement is being hailed as very important for the success of climate action in India. The associated observation by the honourable Court that climate crisis impacts citizens’ right to life is being deemed as critical in the long-term welfare of our people.

As inequality afflicts voters, Ambanis seem 'happily honest' flexing economic power

By Sonali Kolhatkar* There are several exercises in extremes playing out in India right now. Nearly a billion people are voting in elections that will last into early June, braving record-high temperatures to cast ballots. Against this backdrop, Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani , is throwing what will likely be the world’s most expensive wedding for his youngest son.

Congress manifesto: Delving deep into core concepts related to equity, social justice?

By Prof RR Prasad* The deafening current clamor on one of the agenda items of the 2024 Congress Party Election Manifesto has made common people to ponder whether ideologies like social justice and equity could become conundrum and contentious manifestations of some organization's vision and mission.

Why it's only Modi ki guarantee, not BJP's, and how Varanasi has seen it up-close

"Development" along Ganga By Rosamma Thomas* I was in Varanasi in this April, days before polling began for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. There are huge billboards advertising the Member of Parliament from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The only image on all these large hoardings is of the PM, against a saffron background. It is as if the very person of Modi is what his party wishes to showcase.

India's "welcome" proposal to impose sin tax on aerated drinks is part of to fight growing sugar consumption

By Amit Srivastava* A proposal to tax sugar sweetened beverages like tobacco in India has been welcomed by public health advocates. The proposal to increase sin taxes on aerated drinks is part of the recommendations made by India’s Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian on the upcoming Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in the parliament of India.

Search This Blog