Amendments to Air, Water Acts make state govts toothless, allege activists in TN
The amendments empower the Centre to grant permissions that were earlier with the State governments
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CHENNAI: Even as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released draft notifications to amend the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, environmentalists warn that the new amendments will seize powers from the state government.
Poovulagin Nanbargal, an environmental organization, said that per the present norms, any industry should receive permission from the state and central governments before construction and operation. "The permissions are given based on the Water Act and Air Act. The draft amendments propose to empower the central government to issue state government's permission. The industries will be exempted from receiving Consent to Establish (CTE). The new proposal should be opposed," their statement said.
At a time when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and courts point out that expert appraisal committees of state and central governments are issuing environmental clearances without delving deep into the projects, the draft amendments will make approaching the NGT or courts difficult for the public. "For instance, Sun Pharma runs a drug production unit within the boundaries of Vedanthangal bird sanctuary. They received clearance from the Centre for its expansion without disclosing the unit's location in the sanctuary. Despite the NGT order, the Centre kept the clearance in abeyance without cancelling it. In such situations, merging environmental clearance and CTE will become dangerous," it said.
The CTE has been exempted for white category industries per the amendments. The draft only mandates self-certification from the industries. "Another amendment has been proposed to seize the State's rights to appoint state pollution control boards' chairperson, which will interfere with State's rights. It proposes that a committee select the chairperson with a representative from the Centre. This amendment will weaken the rules framed by the TN government," it added.
Alleging that the BJP is making amendments to weaken the existing norms in favour of corporate companies, the NGO said that the rights of tribals have been taken away by making amendments to the Forest Protection Act. The pu
