‘Environment clearances holding up industry a myth’
The myth that environmental regulations were throttling the country’s growth was busted by the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) which has found that an unprecedented number of environment and forest clearances have been granted to five key industry sectors during the 11th Five Year Plan.
These sectors include mining, thermal power, hydropower, cement and iron and steel. The amount of forest land diverted (over two lakh has) for industrial projects in just 2009 was equivalent to the size of two large tiger reserves. In all, 181 coal mines, 267 thermal power plants, 200 coal-based thermal power plants, 188 steel plants and 108 cement units have been accorded clearance between 2007-11.
Sunita Narain, director of CSE, pointed out, “These clearances have doubled the capacity in almost all these sectors but have remained largely unutilised.”
CSE cites the example of Coal India limited (CIL) which produces over 90 per cent of India’s coal and is presently controlling 200,000 ha of mine lease including 55,000 ha of forest land.
“CIL’s coal reserves are estimated at 64 million tonnes but the company is producing only 500 million tonnes per annum ?” Ms Narain pointed out questioning the ministry of coal’s repeated claims that it was lack of environmental clearances that were responsible for the increasing shortage of coal.
The 11th Plan document had projected a target of 50,000 MW of additional thermal power capacity while the 12th Plan had asked for 100,000 MW. The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has gone ahead and granted environmental clearance to 210000 MW of thermal power plants which is 60,000 MW more than what had been proposed.
“The actual capacity today of thermal power is a mere 32,394 MW. Why did MoEF clear so many projects when the existing plans have not been implemented. Is this some kind of new scam to take over the land and water resources of the people?” asked Mr Chandra Bhushan, deputy director-general at the CSE.
In all, 8,284 projects were granted clearance and 2,03,576 ha of forest land has been diverted between 2007-11.
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