NEW DELHI: Slamming the Centre for not setting up expert committees for examining environmental impact of hydro-electric projects and construction works in Uttarakhand after the recent disaster in the state, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday said half of judiciary energy was spent on waking up the government.
It also pulled up the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for not spelling out a single step taken by it to ensure restoration of ecological balance, public welfare and rehabilitation in the state.
Directing the ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) to "start acting as peoples lives are concerned", a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said it was "surprising" that even in a matter of such sensitivity, the committees have not yet been constituted and asked the ministry to expeditiously comply with the Tribunal's orders and set up the expert panels "within one week".
The observations and the order were made by the bench after ministry sought three weeks more to set up the two committees, one as per the Supreme Court order to examine the environmental impact of 24 hydro-electric projects in Uttarakhand and another to monitor the post-calamity development work there.
The Supreme Court had on August 13 directed the MoEF not to grant any further environmental clearance and forest clearance to hydro-electric power projects in Uttarakhand until further orders of the court. The apex court had, however, given the ministry three months time to respond.
The NGT on Monday also pulled up the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) and Border Road Organization (BRO) for not filing their reports and imposed costs of Rs 25,000 each on them.
The NHAI faced flak for claiming that ""there is no section of national highway entrusted to NHAI for construction in Uttarakhand where there are chances of land sliding"". Dismissing it out-rightly, the Tribunal said, "This statement is factually incorrect and is a matter of public knowledge".
The BRO faced the Tribunal's ire when it stated that it is not required to get environmental clearance or conduct an environment impact assessment prior to building roads. The organization, however, claimed to have conducted structural stability tests of the roads.
"Is it proper you play with lives of people?... You do not bother to conduct studies before constructing or widening roads to see if they are stable. If you conducted structural stability tests, how come most of the roads slide into the rivers?" the bench said. The matter has been listed for next hearing on September 26.
Acting on a plea filed by the NGT Bar Association, the Tribunal had on July 2 issued notice to the Uttarakhand government, MoEF, NDMA and BRO, calling for data and information to justify unchecked and unplanned construction which seem to have worsened the disaster caused by the June 16-17 cloud bursts that triggered flash floods.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Uttarakhand disaster: Green tribunal slams Centre over environmental impact of hydro-electric projects
Dengan url
http://obecedes.blogspot.com/2013/09/uttarakhand-disaster-green-tribunal.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Uttarakhand disaster: Green tribunal slams Centre over environmental impact of hydro-electric projects
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar