Activists seek withdrawal of eco-draft notification

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 30

About 50 environmental groups, organisations, ideologues and activists from various states of the Himalayan region have demanded the withdrawal of the Draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020.

In a joint statement issued here today, they accused the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of attempting to dilute the environmental regulations to facilitate the ease of doing business. “Amending environmental norms will accelerate the ecological crisis in the Himalayas,” they said.

“The Himalayan region today is in the most vulnerable position with massive climate-induced disasters, increasing deforestation, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, drying up rivers, depleting groundwater resources, melting glaciers, hollowing of mountains, solid and hazardous waste-related pollution,” they added.

“This ecological region is known to be fragile where even small changes in the landscape lead to rapid and wide-ranging impacts on the lives of millions of people. The crisis has worsened due to the poor implementation of regulatory and governance mechanisms,” said Manshi Asher from Himdhara.