Forest meet suggests need for State Environment Policy

SHILLONG: The need to formulate a State Environment Policy by the North Eastern states including formulation of State Natural Resource Management and Utilization Policy was stressed during a one day national conference on Legal Framework on Conservation of Forest and Environment and Implementation of Environmental Safeguards organized by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, North Eastern Regional Office at NEEPCO, Brookland Compound, Lower New Colony recently.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of State Forests of Environment Departments of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards, major Non-Government Organizations), various project authorities such as Oil India Ltd., ONGC, IOCL, NHPC, NEEPCO Ltd., HPCL, BVFC Ltd., Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd, Cement and other Industrial units, Airport Authority of India, Municipal Boards, NHAI, BRTF among others have participated in the conference.
Dr. Anil Kumar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Central), Ministry of Environment and Forests, North Eastern Regional Office, Shillong urged the state governments in the Northeast to formulate environment and resource utilization policies which will  which will go a long way in sustainable utilization of the natural resources and addressing the environmental concerns in an efficient and effective way.
Kumar highlighted difference in the EIA Notification, 2006 with that of 1994 and how it has decentralized power to the State Governments which helped in speedy environment clearance of the projects.
Kumar also mentioned environmental concerns of the North east region like unscientific coal mining in Meghalaya and Nagaland and recent order of the National Green Tribunal that stayed the coal mining and transportation of coal in Meghalaya.
He also expressed concern over major environmental issues like urban air pollution, solid wastes-disposal, bio-medical wastes disposal, sewage collection and its treatment faced by the people of the NE Region.
While inaugurating the conference, Additional Chief Secretary PBO Warjri narrated the environmental problems presently faced by the nation.
He emphasized the need for the stake holders to work as a team to achieve sustainable development.
On the occasion, M.S. Rao, Principal Secretary, Department of Forests and Environment stressed the need for  protection and conservation of the forests and environment and the action taken by his Department in this regard.