Green politics

The editorial in the latest issue of Organiser, titled “Politics of Environment Protection”, says: “The union environment ministry is behaving like the proverbial cat on the wall. One never knows which way it will jump. The ministry headed by Jairam Ramesh, famously being called the ‘mentor’ of Rahul Gandhi, has already taken three U-turns on the issue of the NOIDA park, being built by Mayawati as her ‘historic’ contribution to the society. That the main attraction of the park are [sic] the statues of her mentor, herself and a few others is objectionable enough. What has added coal to this extravagant insult on the society is the number of trees felled and the acres of land cleared, all belonging to the poor public. The UPA governments, both I & II, have been using environmental clearance for projects as a political tool. Bestowing it upon their allies and denying it to their adversaries. Hence the DMK-sponsored projects in Tamil Nadu, be it highways or Sethusamudram, were accorded clearance in record time. Whereas when J. Jayalalithaa as chief minister wanted to build a new secretariat, the ministry, then held by T.R. Baalu, stopped it. The alibi being environment protection”.

It adds: “In the NOIDA park case, the minister, it seems, has been unable to pick up the political cue. And hence the triple U-turn. The Supreme Court hearing the petition on the NOIDA park constituted a central empowered committee (CEC) to inspect the area and report to the court. The CEC in May 2009 told the court that the project would require clearance from the ministry of environment and forests. The ministry, in its submission before the CEC on August 24, 2009, had taken a position that prior environmental permission was not necessary for the project as it was not a notified forest area”.

... contd.