New EIA Draft 2020

Pro-Industry & Anti-Democratic

Sample Letter to be sent to “Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change” 

 (The last date to send email is 11 August 2020)

Email: eia2020-moefcc@gov.in

Subject: Withdraw the draft EIA notification, 2020

Dear Sir, 

I would like to bring to your kind notice that there are a lot of concerns in the new EIA draft 2020.

Concerns of the new EIA Draft 2020

  • The new EIA draft 2020 allows post-facto clearance.
  • As per point number 11 in Page 18 of this draft, “No EIA Report shall be required for the projects listed under Category ‘B2’.
  • In the new EIA draft 2020, there is a list of projects exempted from the assessment. As per column 26 in Page 33 of this draft, there are around 40 different projects exempted from the prior environmental clearance.
  • All inland waterways and national highway projects have been excluded from obtaining opinion from the public. It takes away the voice of affected people and communities.
  • New EIA draft 2020 also reduces the time allotted to public participation from 30 days to 20 days.
  • The Public consultation process is completely diluted. Public opinion is not given importance at all.
  • The table in Page 22 in the draft clearly indicates where public consultation is required. There are five slabs on the table. Public consultation is not required for the first 4 slabs and only slab V requires public consultation as per clause 14.
  • As per Clause 20, point number 4 in Page 28 in the new draft, the compliance report shall be submitted once in a year. This reduces the check on industries and their impact on our environment.
  • As per clause 22 in Page 29, If any violation of norms is found in the project, it can only be reported by a government representative or the project proponent. The violation cannot be reported by citizens.  
  • As per Clause 19. I (d), Page 26, Environment clearance validity for mining projects is 50 years. As per Clause 19. I (e), Page 26, Environment clearance validity for river valley projects, irrigation projects and nuclear power projects is 15 years. The validity has been increased compared to the existing norms.

These are the major concerns of the new EIA draft 2020. I, therefore, request the environment ministry to:

1. Immediately, withdraw the proposed amendments of the Draft EIA notification 2020. 

2. Consider reissuing the draft only after people return to normal life across the country. 

Thank you.

Yours truly,