Industry in India may soon have to shell out nearly five times the money which it presently pays for forests land being diverted for industrial projects. Not just more money, the mandatory compensatory afforestation may also be doubled soon.
The high-level committee (HLC) formed by the union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in August to review India's green laws has suggested wholesale changes in green governance sector aimed at environment protection but with faster development too. The report would probably end fears of environmentalists and activists who thought HLC would recommend major dilutions in environmental laws spelling doom for environment protection.
dna accessed the HLC report submitted to MoEF on Tuesday and the report running into over 100 pages gives at least 55 major recommendations cutting across all environmental areas ranging from forests management, environment conservation, wildlife management, green clearances, noise pollution and others.
For instance, the committee has recommended amendment of the environment protection act to "incorporate noise pollution as an offence".
It has also criticised MoEF for not defining forest area as yet. It thus asked MoEF to not only define forests but identify no-go areas (inviolate) as well.
Former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian, who headed the HLC committee, in a conversation with dna, said that, "running theme" of their report is "securing the environment".
"Environment and development has to go together. We cannot have areas in country which only get electricity for two hours a day. But at the same time we have to leave environment which we inherited in better shape for the coming generation. We have advocated for ending inspector raj with huge thrust on use of technology," said Subramanian.
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