SHILLONG: Executive Member in charge of Forest, Macdalyn Sawkmie Mawlong, said that no intimation has been received till date on whether the Centre has accepted the views and comments of the Council on Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020.
She said the EC is following up on the matter and a letter was also sent on August 7.
Replying to a supplementary question by Congress MDC, Charles Marngar, she said that a 12-point proposal was sent to the ministry wherein the Council has opposed the reduction in number of days allotted to the public to furnish their responses from 30 to 20 and completion of the public hearing process within 40 days instead of the 45 days allotted earlier. She added that the ownership of land should not be affected.
Congress MDC, Ronnie Lyngdoh, said areas falling under Sixth Schedule should be exempted from the purview of the EIA. In reply, Mawlong said the Forest department has a committee to revamp the functioning of the department.
