SHILLONG: In view of the paucity of funds, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong has informed that the State Government has decided to go slow with the proposal to create a separate Directorate of Environment.
“With the State facing the problem of paucity of funds, the Government is not in a position to go ahead with the proposal to set up a separate directorate. We are all aware that the State is having a huge revenue deficit especially due to the ban on coal mining in the State,” Tynsong informed here on Saturday.
According to him, there is huge financial involvement for creation of a new directorate as besides creating a new post, the State Government would also require to allocate funds for the creation of infrastructure for this new directorate.
He further informed that this whole process is a lengthy exercise since the new directorate would also include the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MPSCB), part of PHE department 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 once the new directorate is established 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.
He however informed that most of the departments have already examined the proposal for creation of this separate directorate. 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.
