#EIA2020 fails to acknowledge the grave ecological crises that the country is facing. Here are 5 reasons why #DraftEIA2020 should be withdrawn, by @CPR_Climate's Shibani Ghosh [1/7].
#environment #thread #EIA2020draft
#environment #thread #EIA2020draft
First, #EIADraft2020 is legally untenable. It does not conform to its parent Act, the Environment (Protection) Act 1986. Contrary to the aims of the EP Act, it reduces the *scope & stringency* of environmental impact assessments, threatening local ecologies and people. [2/7]
Second, worryingly, #EIA2020 allows the government to grant environmental clearances to projects that have *already commenced illegally without a clearance,* going against the very rationale of the EIA notification. [3/7]
Third, #EIA2020 does not mention #climatechange. This despite the fact that India is a highly vulnerable country that should be prioritising the adaptive capabilities of local communities, and avoiding the lock-in of carbon-intensive infrastructure in the long term [4/7]
Fourth, #EIADraft2020 undermines procedural environmental rights. It curtails the scope of public consultation, and introduces curbs on information flows which reduces transparency in the process. [5/7]
Fifth, #EIA2020 does not improve the quality of decision-making in the project evaluation stage. The draft reduces the time allocated for project appraisal by 15 days, and curtails the discretion of the expert committees by disallowing them from seeking fresh research. [6/7]
Read the complete article by Shibani Ghosh on the #EIA2020 #EIADraft2020 in @IndianExpress indianexpress.com/article/opinio…
