SHILLONG: Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong has said that the State Government is still examining the proposal for creation of a separate Directorate of Environment.
“Most of the departments have already examined the proposal for creation of this separate directorate,” Tynsong informed here on Wednesday.
According to him, Government has to go slow with this proposal due to paucity of fund.
“The State Government is not in position to set up this directorate immediately since a huge amount is expected to be involved. Besides creation of new posts, Government would also require to allocate funds for the creation of infrastructure for this new directorate,” Forest and Environment Minister said.
Tynsong also informed that the process was taking a long time “since it is a huge exercise as the new directorate would include the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MPSCB), part of PHE along with the Forest and Environment department.” “Other departments having a stake in environment policy regulation will be brought under environment department which will look after the factors affecting the environment in the State,” he said adding that all the government and non-government projects will need to get clearance from the Environment Directorate before being executed. According to Tynsong, the directorate would also work in tandem with Mining and Geology, Industries and Forest departments.
It may be mentioned that the Cabinet had given a nod for the creation of this separate directorate in June 2012 to ensure proper protection of the environment.