Spotlight

100 Days In Govt: “My Table Has No Files”

New Delhi, September 2 (INFA): The 100 days of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change have moved away from an an era of “huge heap of files, speed breakers, licence raj and a no-go situation” in the past, “to quick clearances, transparency and a pro-active policy framework”, claims its Minister Prakash Javadekar. 

Kick starting the Modi government’s fresh campaign of reeling out its report card on the work undertaken in the past three months, since taking over the reins of power, Javadekar sought to highlight the change in the work culture of his Ministry, which he stated had set goals and was wasting no time in achieving these. For starters, a pleasant change was apparent with the Minister making a power point presentation before the media, unlike the staid written statement handed out.

The major steps listed out include: Online submission of applications for environment and forest clearance to ensure time-bound clearance and transparency. The Ministry has launched a web portal, which it claims will minimise the need for human interface between project proponents and officials dealing with forest clearance in both Central and State governments. Further, the portal will enable real time monitoring of the clearance proposals to ensure that time-lines stipulated for processing of these proposals by various authorities are adhered to. However, those applying would need to ensure that the proposals are complete in all respect for only then will the application be accepted by the portal.

To further ensure that proposals don’t get caught up in red-tapism or different departments of the State and the Centre, the Ministry has decided to constitute at each of its regional offices a Regional empowered Committee (REC) to dispose of all applications seeking diversion of forest land up to 40 hectares, except the proposals relating to mining, regularisation of encroachments and hydel projects. 

Making a note that while China is making railroads at the border and India doesn’t even have roads, the Ministry has decided to accord general approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, for diversion of forest land required for construction and widening of two lane roads, in the areas falling within 100 km aerial distance from Line of Actual Control (LAC) and widening of link roads, between Border roads and national highways/ State highways and other State roads.

Likewise, it has decided to expedite creation of road infrastructure in left wing extremism affected districts. This will not only facilitate security forces to effectively deal with the menace, but “will help in winning over the confidence of the people” in the area. The general relaxation approval has also been extended to diversion of forest land from present one hectare to 5 hectares for execution of public utility projects of 15 categories by government departments in the naxal-hit areas. These include schools, medical colleges, dispensaries and hospitals, vocational training centres etc.

The other area that the Ministry has put into place is the benchmarking for pollution norms for the cement industry, which is one of the major air polluting sectors. It has decided to give special attention to Tiger conservation, have a system of real time monitoring of Ganga water quality and decentralise powers to State level environment impact assessment authorities, etc.

Indeed, as per the proposals it seems the winds of change are blowing. Whether it’s a whiff or a storm will be known only after the report card progresses. For Javadekar, the beginning has been made as he says his table has no files pending. ---INFA