Failure to set up Independent Environment Regulator
Part of: GS Prelims and GS – III – Environment
In news
The Supreme Court has asked the government to explain why it had not set up an “independent environment regulator” to oversee green clearances.
Key takeaways
In ‘Lafarge mining case’, the SC had ordered the setting up of a national environment regulatory body to ensure independent oversight of green clearances.
Such a regulator should appraise projects, enforce environmental conditions for approvals and to impose penalties on polluters.
SC had made it clear that till such mechanism was put in place, the Environment Ministry (MoEF) should prepare a panel of accredited institutions from which alone the project proponent should obtain the Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the Terms of Reference to be formulated by the MoEF.
