Report author slams govt move to set up 2nd panel

Jul 11, 2012 - Rashme Sehgal |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

Prof. Madhav Gadgil, who authored the first report on the impact of mining on the Western Ghats, has blasted the government for their decision to set up a second panel to review its findings following criticism by Kerala and Karnataka state governments.
The move, Prof. Gadgil believed, could not have come at a more inappropriate time especially since, after much delay, the report was put up on the ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) website with public comments sought up to the middle of this month.
“This is an inappropriate move,” said Prof. Gadgil who maintained the ministry should have waited for the completion of the “democratic process of allowing the civil society and grassroot institutions to give their feedback”.
Prof. Gadgil had all along urged the ministry of environment & forests to first translate the English version of the report into regional languages so that the people depending on the Western Ghats for their livelihood could also read it.
The report was been prepared after holding extensive consultations with all the stakeholders, including mine owners, farmers and officials in all the concerned state government he pointed out.
“Unfortunately, the majority of people living in the Western Ghats region have not been able to access the report and the 45-day period does not provide enough time to the public to give feedback,” Prof. Gadgil said onTuesday.

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