Thermal projects reply under study: Jairam
Hyderabad, March 19 (INN): Ministry of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Saturday revealed that his Ministry had received replies to the notices sent to the East Coast Energy and Nagarjuna Constructions, the companies setting up thermal power projects in Srikakulam district. Mr Ramesh said that the replies are under study and action would be taken if there are any violations action would be taken. 'There is no question of condoning the violations,' the Union Minister told media persons on the sidelines of the Green Landscape Summit-2011 at the CII-Godrej GBC here.
The Minister also stated his Ministry would seek 'third-party opinion' to evaluate the various projects under its jurisdiction, 'since the present method of preparing environmental assessment reports are flawed'. Elaborating further before media persons on the sidelines of the Green Landscape Summit-2011, Mr Jairam Ramesh said that 'third-party opinion' would be sought on projects like coal power and port constructions.
The Union Minister stated that the environmental impact assessment reports were nothing short of a 'joke', and a 'third-party opinion' would be advisable. Mr Jairam Ramesh reminded that the Supreme Court has also expressed its concern over the preparation of the environmental impact assessment reports. He pointed out the same person who takes up the project has to submit the assessment report. This is a matter of concern, he stated.
Elaborating further, Mr Jairam Ramesh pointed out that the MoEF has over 200 authorised consultants who can prepare the environmental assessment reports. The reports from these consultants can be accepted by the government, Mr Ramesh pointed out. The Union Minister also reminded that satellite mapping reports of wetlands of the country are already with the Ministry. 'An Atlas for each state would be released shortly,' he stated.
'This,' he said, 'would go a long way in cleaning the system, especially since the government has not followed a scientific approach on the wetland management as per revenue records.' 'All that is a legacy of the past, we will clean up the system,' Mr Jairam Ramesh stated. Reminding that his Ministry has already blacklisted three consultants who produced fraudulent environment assessment reports, the Union Minister warned that even the government authorised consultants would be punished if they produced reports with 'misrepresentations'
Hyderabad, March 19 (INN): Ministry of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Saturday revealed that his Ministry had received replies to the notices sent to the East Coast Energy and Nagarjuna Constructions, the companies setting up thermal power projects in Srikakulam district. Mr Ramesh said that the replies are under study and action would be taken if there are any violations action would be taken. 'There is no question of condoning the violations,' the Union Minister told media persons on the sidelines of the Green Landscape Summit-2011 at the CII-Godrej GBC here.
The Minister also stated his Ministry would seek 'third-party opinion' to evaluate the various projects under its jurisdiction, 'since the present method of preparing environmental assessment reports are flawed'. Elaborating further before media persons on the sidelines of the Green Landscape Summit-2011, Mr Jairam Ramesh said that 'third-party opinion' would be sought on projects like coal power and port constructions.
The Union Minister stated that the environmental impact assessment reports were nothing short of a 'joke', and a 'third-party opinion' would be advisable. Mr Jairam Ramesh reminded that the Supreme Court has also expressed its concern over the preparation of the environmental impact assessment reports. He pointed out the same person who takes up the project has to submit the assessment report. This is a matter of concern, he stated.
Elaborating further, Mr Jairam Ramesh pointed out that the MoEF has over 200 authorised consultants who can prepare the environmental assessment reports. The reports from these consultants can be accepted by the government, Mr Ramesh pointed out. The Union Minister also reminded that satellite mapping reports of wetlands of the country are already with the Ministry. 'An Atlas for each state would be released shortly,' he stated.
'This,' he said, 'would go a long way in cleaning the system, especially since the government has not followed a scientific approach on the wetland management as per revenue records.' 'All that is a legacy of the past, we will clean up the system,' Mr Jairam Ramesh stated. Reminding that his Ministry has already blacklisted three consultants who produced fraudulent environment assessment reports, the Union Minister warned that even the government authorised consultants would be punished if they produced reports with 'misrepresentations'
News Posted: 19 March, 2011
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