[Yearbook] Environment Ministry’s fast-track approach, Green E-Clearance & Green Laws Panel

MrunalEnvironment41 Comments

Mrunal’s UPSC GSM3-2020 Model Answer lecture: Science Technology, Internal Security Border Management Questions from last Mains Exam Solved!
  1. Fast track initiatives: Environment ministry
    1. CAMPA Order, 2014
    2. Pollution control
    3. Border roads
    4. Naxal areas
    5. Green E-Clearance
  2. Green Law panel
  3. Fast track environment = dangerous

Fast track initiatives: Environment ministry

Here is a brief summary of the fast track reforms taken by Modi government’s environment ministry, to address the issues of policy paralysis and environmental clearances.
CAMPA Order, 2014

  • Will setup CAMPA bodies at union and state level.
  • State level bodies will use the CAMPA funds for compensatory afforestation, wildlife protection, village rehabilitation, training-awareness etc.
  • National CAMPA body will keep 5% fund aside for monitering schemes etc.
Faster file clearance
Webportal Industries can submit applications online, for Environment and Forest Clearances.

  • Minimum human interface
  • Projects will be cleared in timebound and transparent manner.
Regional bodies
  • MoEF has delegated powers to the Regional Empowered Committees (REC).
  • They’ll clear all the environment clearance files for projects upto 40 ht.
  • As a result, 90% of the file clearance will be finished at regional level.
EIA For Environment impact assessment, the State level bodies are given more territorial jurisdiction.

Pollution control

  • Ganga Basin covers five states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
  • In these five states, MoEF has ordered the highly polluting Industries to install system to moniter emission and effluents online.
  • Overall, India has >3,000 highly polluting industries. Most of them don’t have such online system. MoEF has asked State Pollution Control Boards to implement this by 2015.
  • Cement: India is second largest producer of cement. MoEF has tightened the emission norms for Particulate Matter, Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, Wastewater and Storm water.

Border roads

  • Under Forest conservation act 1980, MoEF has granted general approval for diverting forest land to widen border roads- for  areas within 100 kms of LAC.
  • Border road orgazniation will build all these roads.

Naxal areas

Under Forest conversation act 1980, MoEF passed following order:

  • General approval is given to all road projects- except those in protect forest areas.
  • Upto 5 hectares of forest land can be diverted for construction of schools, police station, health centre, telephone lines, water supply etc. total 15 type of projects.
  • This will rapidly improve infrastructure and provide economic opportunities for local public. Thus less new recruits for Maoists.

Ref: Summary of this PIB page: pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=109249

Fast track environment clearance is dangerous

As expected, when Environment ministry began fast track approach to Environment clearance, theHindu columnists didn’t like it. NOT ONE BIT. Their arguments are:

  1. Modi Government has reconstituted National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) without NGO members- as required under Wildlife protection act.
  2. Government has eased the environment clearance conditions on coal projects. although this will increase coal production and electricity generation -but at expense of environment.
  3. Forest (Conservation Act), 1980 expressly prohibits conversion of forest land to non-forest use without the Centre’s nod. But MoEF has given general approval to all road-projects in border and naxal areas.
  4. National forest policy wants 33% forest cover, but presently we have ~21% of area under forest. If MOEF continues with such blanket ‘general approvals’, then forest area will decrease.
  5. MoEF’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has cleared field-trials for certain GM-crops. But the minutes of the meeting not published.
  6. Government reduced the public hearing requirements for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).
  7. Government has setup green laws review panel under TSR Subramnian. Once they give report, Government will further dilute the provisions of various environmental laws- in guise of promoting Development and economy.
  8. Government also promised to release a new policy to “speed up eco-clearance’. This too will hurt the environment.

Green Law panel

Chairman: TSR Subramanian, (former Cabinet Secretary) and 3 members whose names and designations are not important for exams.

To review 5 acts (chronology wise)
Act Year
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974
Forest ( Conservation) Act 1980
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981
Environment (Protection) Act 1986
  • Will also suggest, how to amend existing laws to incorporate various court orders.
  • Review amendments to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, to ensure its compliance with Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES). The amendments are pending in Rajya Sabha
  • Deadline to submit report: 2 months. (Committee was setup in Aug’2014)

Green E-Clearance

Q. Write a note on the importance of Green E-Clearance project. (100 words)

  • In recent times, more than 100 infrastructure projects worth Rs.4 lakh crores were stalled due to lack of Environmental clearances.
  • National Highways Authority of India had even moved the Supreme Court against the environment ministry for delaying clearances.
  • In the backdrop of logjam, the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) decided setup an online portal- Green e-clearance for infrastructure projects.
  • It will become operational from July 1, 2014.
  • A company can upload all required documents on the website for approval from respective department.
  • Company can also check the status of their application.
  • Clearances will be awarded within the stipulated time period.
  • This will make process of green clearances faster, more predictable; will improve infrastructure and will boost the confidence of entrepreneurs and investors.

~130 words.

Indian History Freedom Struggle Pratik Nayak

41 Comments on “[Yearbook] Environment Ministry’s fast-track approach, Green E-Clearance & Green Laws Panel”

  3. Reply

    Sincere request to Shivaram/Mrunal- please take up an article devoted solely to Economics?

    Mr. Rajan and Mayaram have been making comments on foreseeing issues related to Fed Tapering like Currency Swap Lines, and other contingencies. Moreover, new committees have been formed and finally- Public Sector banks and their issues + Wilful defaulter etc.

    Would be greatly indebted. Thanks!

  8. Reply

    Mrunal sir,the menu button in ur Android app is not wrkng since the past few days..pls look in2 ths

  10. Reply

    sir plz upload capf AC answer key…….n wt abt result date ….any idea plzzzzzz reply guys…….

    1. Reply

      mithun is kind of cow found in arunachal pradesh n its state animal….acurately it is GAYAL….

  12. Reply

    Dear sir
    is there any chance of posteponig ssc cgl exam 2014 in maharashtr due to loksabha election

  13. Reply

    Dear sir is there any chance of postponing ssc cgl 2014 exam in maharashtra due to state election

    1. Reply

      International border is considered as zero line …. Recently zero Lin elf indo pak is in news coz pak is constructing a railway station near to zero line ….. Acc to international norms construction Within 15 yards of zero line is not allowed

    2. Reply

      International border is considered as zero line …. Recently zero Line of indo pak is in news coz pak is constructing a railway station near zero line ….. Acc to international norms construction Within 15 yards of zero line is not allowed

    1. Reply

      Positive : Already our major portion of weapons were imported, so the fact that 100% fdi will be a security threat seems absurd. we will make weapons on our homeland. we will be welcoming technology and dollars .more jobs. these reluctant attitude can cost huge to nation, so lets go for it. this is 21st century, more weapons presence is more like invoking fear and fair attitude among our counterparts (last 2 fillers). negative : are you serious ? this is huge security threat ? . why cant we focus more on our indigenous weapon creators and mars mission is the example for not moving ahead in this arena. huge benefit to foreign manufacturers , our own manufacturers will vanish .

    2. Reply

      Positive:
      1. Foster technology Transfer
      2. Learning process for young engineers and other related stakeholders in defence sector.
      3. Enhance the credibility of defense materials developed via foreign investment route.
      4. Ease of doing business will gain traction
      5. Boost to other related indigenous industries including back-end infra, logistics, mining et al thus giving boost to employment, social status
      6. India’s standards and protocols (sometimes regarded as sub-standard) will be streamlined with global standards and improve her credibility- less inspection- money saved
      7. India will gain mileage in global politics, defence and security
      Negative:
      1. Defence strategic sector- may jeopardise security–risky as non state actors role will be facilitated
      2. batteries of middlemen will be introduced
      3. chances of corruption , kickbacks to win contracts for investment
      4. setback to indigenous entrepreneurs who are at nascent stage
      5. complexities in business procedures dealing with defence sector investment

      Suggested:
      middle-path– lesser than 100% FDI , a strong autonomous body (free from executive interference)to handle FDI clearance and related procedure.

      Help me to add up more…
      Thanks:)

      1. Reply

        Few more Positives :-
        1) Delays in acquisition,escalating costs can be avoided
        2) When its a local industry – assured availability of maintenance contracts,spare parts at a later date when the technology actually gets outdated
        3)Probability of planting bugs exists in the imported armaments ->(Lots of software involved in drones/ fighter jets…).Reliability is more when locally manufactured under standardised monitoring framework

    1. Reply

      Anm : Any nurse in govt/private hospital having a diploma. receiving all benefits including pension too. entered service through recruitment process. specialized . can handle majority day to day affair in hospitals (salute to them). there working arena remains inside hospitals or special camps along with doctors.
      Asha : accredited social health activist, choosen by gram panchayat. look after family planning (her role is more socialistic not specialist ), help women in village, help child immunization. she remains in contact with nearest govt hospital. she recieves monthly 1000 (or 600 or 1400) rs . she help availing all immunization medicines to village delivered under NRHM . she is woman among the lady gang of the village . she also prepares record and submit it to authority whenever asked. (also salute to them coz, they connected vulnerable section to state ‘take care of people’ policy)

  20. Reply

    I am not able to register for the Uttrakhand PCS. Whenever I finish the form, it says “Error! You used special characters that are not allowed in the form.”
    Albeit I didn’t use any special characters, I keep on getting this message whenever I try to register.

    Is anyone facing a similar issue?

    1. Reply

      did you reply to my question?
      Is it by october mid or start of the october or after anytime in october?

  23. Reply

    Mrunal sir, please write about the “Make in India” camapaign that is to be launched on 25th september 2014.

  25. Reply

    Hi Mrunal

    Could u please provide the list of important acts in different areas so that we could prepare it topic wise.

    Regards,
    Puja

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