By Our Reporter
SHILLON: Environmental experts here feel that the autonomous National Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority (NEAMA), recently declared by the Prime Minister to be established soon, will only have an impact if it is not treated like the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
The NEAMA promises to offer a much better system for environmental appraisal and monitoring of environmental compliances. However, the final environmental approvals would still rest with the Minister of Environment and Forests. The NEAMA, which will be a professional, science oriented autonomous entity, would draw a continuous pool of resources of data and skill tests.
Meghalaya will benefit from this autonomous authority, as this state has a large natural resources pool such as limestone, coal and the controversial uranium.
The move to form this autonomous authority came after it has been seen that the MoEF’s decisions are increasingly held up in disputes where their objectivity, economic and technological viability and unity are being called into question because it comes in the path of the country’s investment climate.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Toki Blah, former bureaucrat and social activist said, “We have entered the era of globalization and things are fast changing. We are a developing country and there will be attempts to exploit these natural resources. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) was not adequately equipped since it is depending upon IFS officers, who are not experts in natural resources management. The natural resources do not comprises only forests as there are much bigger resources such as minerals, rivers etc. Fresh water is ignored now and in the next thirty years we may not be left with drinking water. If this new authority is going to have a fresh look into the environmental protection and biosphere preservation, than I feel it is going to be meaningful.”
Prof BK Tiwari, HOD, Department of Environmental Science, NEHU said that the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 is well defined with Environment Impact Assessment Rules and Regulations. “The Smaller projects in a state are ratified by the state government whereas the bigger projects such as hydroelectricity, minerals etc. by the union government. We have existing rules and mechanisms in place and if that works and the rules, acts are implemented properly, then we don’t need any other authority,” said Prof Tiwari. He questioned the utility of the new institution since the ultimate environmental clearances will be given by the Ministry. He also said that the issue of mining is whether it is done scientifically following the rules and acts in place.
Recently the Environmental Protection Agency, USA, considered as the world’s best environmental regulator providing tightened restrictions on pollution had to face the ire of the opponents who wanted it replaced by a more business friendly Act. To this Prof Tiwari said that the whole thing is about “development without destruction”.
“There is a very thin edge to this as without destruction development cannot take place but how much destruction is really acceptable is the main problem. The business lobby wants higher destruction whereas the environmental lobby wants lesser destruction; this is where the conflict lies. The present move by the union government is for the development lobby and this whole thing is shifting towards that,” said Prof Tiwari.
BM Lanong, Deputy Chief Minister, Mining and Geology etc., Government of Meghalaya, said he is in agreement with anything that protects the environment. However, the minister said that he is still unaware about the draft, terms and conditions, the areas that the NEAMA is going to deal with and cannot comment further on the matter, now.