Congress lists 10 failures of the Modi government on environmental front

The Congress party has strongly criticized the Narendra Modi government's environmental policies, listing what they call "failures" that have led to significant environmental degradation across India. Jairam Ramesh, the party's general secretary and former Union environment minister, spearheaded the critique, highlighting various aspects where the government has allegedly fallen short in protecting India's natural resources.

Ramesh asserted that the past decade under the Modi government has been disastrous not only for India's people and democracy but also for its environment and dependent communities. He accused the government of systematically dismantling environmental protections, favouring corporate interests over sustainable development and conservation efforts.

The Congress leader highlighted 10 key "failures" of the Modi government concerning environmental issues. These include the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, anti-Adivasi Forest Conservation Rules, dilution of the Biological Diversity (Amendment), secretive amendments to the Environment Protection Act, legalisation of projects after violation of forest clearance, weakening Environmental Impact Assessment norms, destruction of independent environmental institutions, rising air pollution, weakened Wildlife Protection Act, and coal mines being allocated based on corporate lobbying.

10 environmental failures of Modi govt

1. Disastrous Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act: The amendment is criticized for removing critical protections for India's forest cover, potentially exposing vast forest areas to exploitation and deforestation.
2. Anti-Adivasi Forest Conservation Rules: The rules are accused of undermining the traditional forest rights of indigenous communities, making them vulnerable to exploitation by corporate interests.
3. Dilution of the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act: Allegations suggest that the government's actions have made it easier for private companies to access biodiversity products without adequately sharing benefits with local communities.
4. Secretive Amendments to the Environment Protection Act: The Congress alleges that amendments made during the Covid pandemic have relaxed environmental protections, prioritizing industrial interests over ecological sustainability.
5. Legalisation of Projects After Violation of Forest Clearance: Concerns are raised about projects being allowed to proceed despite violating initial forest clearance requirements, leading to unchecked environmental damage.
6. Weakening Environmental Impact Assessment Norms: Critics argue that relaxed assessment norms have contributed to disasters like the Uttarkashi Silkyara tunnel collapse, highlighting the risks of inadequate environmental evaluations.
7. Destruction of Independent Environmental Institutions: Claims suggest that institutions like the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have been systematically weakened, hindering their ability to enforce environmental regulations effectively.
8. Rising Air Pollution: The Congress blames the government for failing to address the severe air pollution crisis, especially evident in cities like Delhi, where pollution levels reach hazardous levels annually.
9. Weakened Wildlife Protection Act: Allegations point to amendments that have compromised wildlife protections, facilitating private takeovers of wildlife habitats and resources.
10. Coal Mines Allocated Based on Corporate Lobbying: Accusations of favoritism and corporate influence surround the allocation of coal blocks, with concerns raised about the Adani group's alleged undue benefits.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the BJP government for allegedly destroying various aspects of India's environment, including forest protection, biodiversity, wildlife protection, Adivasi forest rights, and environmental institutions like the NGT, during the past ten years.

He accused the prime minister of perpetuating an environmental crisis through inconsistent actions despite promising global environmental commitments. Ramesh asserted that if the INDIA government takes over in June 2024, they would reverse these alleged setbacks and restore environmental protections.

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